If library of congress. 



\t UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. t\ 

i f j 



A 



MEMOIR 



OF THE 



REV, WALTER GUNN, 

LATE MISSIONARY IN INDIA, 



FROM THE 



EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE 
UNITED STATES. 



BY G. A. LINTNER, D. D., 

General Agent Foreign Missionary Society of Evangelical 
Lutheran Church. U. S. 



ALBANY: 
E. H. PEASE <§- CO., 82 STATE ST. 
BALTIMORE : 
T. NEWTON KURTZ. 
1852. 




ALBANY : 
JOEL MUNSELL, PRLSTER. 



PREFACE. 



The following memoir was prepared to 
gratify the wishes of some personal friends 
of our deceased Missionary, and awaken a 
deeper interest in a cause which is engaging 
the attention of a large portion of the 
Lutheran Church in this country. The mis- 
sionary career of Mr. Gunn was short; he 
labored only a few years in the work to 
which he had devoted himself, but he ren- 
dered important services in the cause, which 
ought to be remembered and may serve to 
stimulate others to follow his example. 

These considerations induced the Author 
to gather some facts and incidents from the 
correspondence and journal of Mr. Gunn, 
and place them before the public in the 
form they are now presented. 



iv PREFACE. 

The chief object was to diffuse in these 
pages some information in regard to our 
foreign mission, which might prove useful 
to those who feel an interest in the subject. 
And if the example of our departed brother, 
together with the consideration presented at 
the close of this memoir, should induce some 
of its readers to take a livelier interest and 
engage with more zeal and earnestness in 
the cause of foreign missions, the Author 
will feel himself amply compensated for the 
trouble of preparing the memorial of the 
character and services of a beloved mis- 
sionary. 

Schoharie, N. Y., 
Feb. 1852. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 
Mr. Gunn's birth — Hopeful conversion — Devotes him- 
self to the cause of Foreign Missions — Female 
Associations of Hartwick Synod 7 

CHAPTER JI. 

Preparatory and Theological Education — Licensure — 
Appointment as Foreign Missionary — Marriage — 
Ordination and departure for India 13 

CHAPTER III. 
Arrival at Guntoor — Description of the city — Advan- 
tages connected with it as a Missionary station — 
Labors of Rev. Mr. Heyer — Establishment of the 
Mission by the Foreign Missionary Society of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church in U. S. — Successful 
labors of the Missionaries — Mr. Stokes, the friend 
and patron of the Mission — Difficulties connected 
with Missionary labors among the heathen 22 

CHAPTER IV. 
Study of the Telugu language — Destruction of the 
Mission House, by a storm — Another building 
erected, and removal of the Missionaries to- their 
new residence — Description of Missionary build- 



Yl 



CONTEXTS. 



ings — Return of Rev. Mr. Heyer to America. — 
Baptism of converts — Zeal and devotedness of na- 
tive Christians — Schools — Encouragement in the 
work 29 

CHAPTER V. 

Continues his labors under encouraging circumstances 
— Addition of native converts to the Church — = 
Increase of Schools — Stephen, a native teacher, and 
his wife Rebecca— Rev. Mr. Heyer, returns from 
America, and establishes a Missionary station at 
Gurzal — Decline of Mr. Gumrs health — Visits 
Madras for the recovery of his health — Returns to 
Guntoor, and resumes his labors — Unable to perform 
active duties — Meetings of converts in his room for 
devotional exercises 37 

CHAPTER VI 
Last illness and death — Character 43 

CHAPTER VII. 
Reasons why the Lutheran Church should go forward 
in the work of Foreign Missions 63 

* APPENDIX. 
Missionary Journal of Rev. Walter Gunn, late Mis- 
sionary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the 
United States, in India : 85 



MEMOIR 

OF THE 

REV. WALTER GUNN. 



CHAPTER I. 

Mr. Gunn's birth — Hopeful conversion — Devotes 
himself to the cause of Foreign Missions — Female 
Association of Hartwick Synod. 

The foreign missionary enterprise has 
awakened the attention of Christians in 
our country, and throughout the world. It 
is a noble enterprise, in which the sympathies, 
prayers and efforts of people of all nations 
are united, to carry forward the glorious 
designs, with which the Lord Jesus Christ 
established his spiritual kingdom on earth. 
All who regard the glory of God, and the 
happiness of their fellow creatures, must feel 
an interest in the salvation of the world. 
1 



8 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

The gospel is the only effectual means which 
infinite wisdom has provided to redeem and 
save lost man. This gospel must be preached 
to every creature : it must be given to all the 
world. In this work, all Christians should 
be willing to engage, and for this they should 
be ready to labor and make sacrifices. And 
it is one of the pleasing signs of the times, 
that the disciples of Christ are beginning to 
awake and realize their obligations in view 
of the last command of their Master, and the 
great work he has given them to do. This 
feeling of interest in the dissemination of 
the gospel, and the salvation of the world, is 
spreading among Christians of all evangelical 
denominations, and there is reason to hope, 
that the time is not far distant, when it will 
be universal throughout the church, and 
bring all who have named the name of Christ, 
to consecrate themselves to his service and 
glory, in the missionary enterprise. 

The Rev. Walter Gunn, whose death has 
been recently announced, was the first 
missionary from the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church in the United States, who has fallen 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 9 



in the foreign field; it is therefore desirable 
that some of the particulars connected with 
his life and missionary career should be 
preserved, for the information and encourage- 
ment of those who may succeed him in the 
great work to which he was devoted. He 
was born in Carlisle, Schoharie county, New 
York, June 27, 1815. In the year 1837, he 
was aw r akened at a religious meeting, held 
in his native place, and soon after connected 
himself with the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church of Schoharie, of which the writer of 
this memoir was then pastor. From the 
time of his conversion, his mind appeared 
to be particularly directed to the heathen, 
He felt a strong desire that he might be 
enabled to preach to them the gospel, and 
seemed to have an impression on his mind, 
that the Lord had called him to this work. 
He devoted himself to it in the following 
remarkable manner. A few weeks after he 
had found a hope in Christ, he went into a 
retired spot to pray, and there alone, in the 
presence of God, his mind was so exercised 
with a love for perishing souls, that he made 



10 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

a solemn promise if the Lord would open 
the way, he would go out and preach the 
gospel to the heathen. He was poor, with- 
out any means of procuring an education to 
fit him for the work to which he had now 
devoted himself. But the Lord opened the 
way, and that also in a manner very remark- 
able. After he had given himself up to the 
work of foreign missions, in the manner 
already stated, he mentioned the circumstance 
to his pastor. To him, it appeared strange, 
that a young man, just awakened from a 
sinful life, in which, perhaps, he had never 
thought of the heathen and their spiritual 
condition, should immediately, upon his 
conversion, be exercised with such a deep 
feeling in regard to their salvation; and that 
too, at a time when there was little interest 
felt in regard to it, in the church to which 
he had united. There were some, it is true, 
in the Lutheran Church, at that time, who 
felt the importance of foreign missions, and 
their duty to engage in the work ; still the 
subject had not yet been agitated, as it had 
been in other denominations; and for a young 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 11 



convert who had just come into the church 
where nothing had been done to excite his 
mind on this cause, for him to come to such 
a determination, seemed a clear indication 
of Providence, that the Lord was about 
awakening a new spirit in the Lutheran 
Church, on the subject of foreign missions. 

The determination of Mr. Gunn was 
mentioned by his pastor, to several members 
of the Hartwick Synod, and at the meeting 
of that body at Cobleskill, in the year 1837, 
it so happened, or rather it was so directed 
in the providence of God, that several wives 
of clergymen belonging to the synod, accom- 
panied their husbands to the meeting. During 
the session of the synod, Mrs. Schafer, the 
wife of Col. Schafer, of Cobleskill, invited 
the ministers' wives to spend an afternoon 
at her house. Here they met without any 
preconcerted arrangement, and had a season 
of prayer, while their husbands were 
engaged in the deliberations of the synod. 
The ladies present at this meeting, were 
Mrs. Crownce, Mrs. Senderling, Mrs. Lint- 
ner, and Mrs. Schafer, After prayer, and 



12 MEB10IR OF THE REV. WALTER GOTO. 

while their hearts were still warm under the 
influence of the spirit of devotion, which 
had pervaded the circle, it was proposed by 
one of their number, to educate Mr. Gunn 
for a foreign missionary. The proposition 
met with a unanimous and cordial acceptance. 
They resolved to commence the work imme- 
diately. Each pledged herself for a definite 
sum to begin with. And they further agreed 
that upon their return from the synod, they 
would endeavor to interest the minds of the 
ladies in their respective congregations in 
the object, and solicit their aid. This gave 
rise to the " Female Association of Hartwick 
Synod for the education of Foreign Mission- 
aries." This meeting was the germ of the 
foreign missionary spirit, which went forth 
through the Hartwick Synod to other synods, 
and subsequently led to the establishment of 
our foreign mission. 



MEMOIR OF THE EEV. WALTER GUNN. 13 



CHAPTER II. 

Preparatory and theological education — Licensure — 
Appointment as foreign missionary — Marriage — 
Ordination and departure for India. 

Mr. Gunn, immediately after the meeting 
at Cobleskill, entered upon a regular course 
of education, with a view of qualifying 
himself for the foreign missionary field. 
After passing through a preparatory course 
in Schoharie Academy and Union College, 
where he was graduated in 1840, he spent 
two years in the Theological Seminary, at 
Gettysburgh, Pa. He was supported through 
the whole course of his studies by the asso- 
ciation who had undertaken to educate him, 
and after having finished his education, and 
entered on his labors in India, he often 
referred in his letters and communications, 
with feelings of gratitude to God, to this 
association, who had prepared him for his 
work. On the 6th of September, 1842, he 



14 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

was licensed as a candidate for the ministry, 
by the Hartwick Synod of the Evangelical 
Lutheran Church in the state of New York. 
After he w T as licensed, he labored a short 
time, by appointment of synod, as a mis- 
sionary in the domestic field, with instruc- 
tions to preach also on the subject of foreign 
missions, and endeavor to awaken an interest 
in the cause among the churches whom he 
visited. To show how his mind was en- 
grossed with the subject of foreign missions 
at that time, we will here give a short 
extract from his journal, published in con- 
nection with the proceedings of synod, the 
following year : " From the indications 
manifested in our churches, it must be very 
evident to the discerning, that it is high 
time to engage actively in the foreign 
missionary enterprise. It is true, there are 
some who are ever ready to utter the hack- 
neyed expression. 6 We have heathen enough 
at home — we have no men to spare/ &c, 
&c, but there are many others who have 
taken a view of the wretchedness and misery 
of the guilty and degraded heathen, and 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 15 

their hearts have been touched with com- 
passion : they have read the last command 
of Christ to his disciples, Go ye into all the 
world, and preach the gospel to every crea- 
ture, and they feel that a portion of the great 
work of disseminating the gospel belongs to 
them. They look at the blessedness of their 
own condition, living as they do, within the 
sound of the church-going bell, in the mids^ 
of the ministers of reconciliation, possessed 
of the hopes and joy which the religion of 
Jesus Christ inspires, and they can not, they 
will not, remain indifferent, while the calls 
for help from the heathen world are so loud 
and impressive. They will not make the 
wants of the church at home, an excuse for 
withholding their aid in spreading the gospel 
through heathen lands." While attending 
to his missionary duties under the appoint- 
ment of synod, he labored for some time in 
the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Water- 
loo, and assisted its pastor, Rev. Mr. Moyer, 
in gathering a rich harvest of souls. In the 
same year, he was also present during an 
extensive revival of religion in the Evan- 



16 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

gelical Lutheran Church of Schoharie. He 
rendered very important assistance to the 
pastor in the progress of the work, and was 
doubtless instrumental in the conversion of 
some who have united with the church, and 
still speak of him and his labors on that oc- 
casion, with gratitude and affection. 

He received his appointment as foreign 
missionary to India, from the Foreign Mis- 
sionary Society of the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church in the United States, on the 25th of 
May, 1843. Shortly after this, he was mar- 
ried to Miss Lorena Pultz, of Churchtown, 
Columbia county, N. Y., a lady possessing 
eminent qualifications for the work of mis- 
sions, to which she had also devoted herself 
in early life, and whose labors in the cause, 
in connexion with those of her husband, 
have been greatly blessed. She is now a 
bereaved widow, with two children, left 
among the heathen, where she is still suc- 
cessfully engaged in the work to which she 
seems to be wholly consecrated. The 
Lutheran Church in Ihis country owes her a 
duty which we trust will always be deemed 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 17 

sacred, and that she and her children will 
always have that sympathy and affectionate 
regard to which they are entitled. 

When Mr. Gunn received his appointment 
from the Foreign Missionary Society of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church, in the United 
States, he was directed by the society to spend 
some time before his departure, in visiting 
our churches in this country, and preaching 
on the subject of foreign missions, to promote 
e missionary spirit, and make collections for 
the society. This service he performed with 
diligence and faithfulness, and succeeded in 
awakening more general attention to the 
subject among our churches. 

He was ordained by the Hartwick Synod of 
the Evangelical Lutheran Church, New York, 
as a missionary to the heathen, in the Luther- 
an Church at Johnstown, N. Y., on the 5th of 
September, 1843. The exercises on that 
occasion were peculiarly interesting, as it 
was the first ordination of a foreign mission- 
ary ever performed in the Lutheran Church 
of the United States. The ordination sermon 
was preached by Rev. J. Z. Senderling, 



18 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

President of Synod, from Isa. xlv, 8 : Drop 
down ye heavens from above, and let the 
skies pour down righteousness; let the earth 
open, and let them bring forth salvation, and 
let righteousness spring up together : I the 
Lord have created it. After his ordination, 
Mr. Gunn made an address to the synod, in 
which he took an affectionate leave from a 
body with which he had been so agreeably 
connected, and earnestly commended to the 
brethren the interests of a cause claiming 
the sympathies, prayers and labors of all who 
love God, and their fellow creatures. 

On the 13th of the same month he deliv- 
ered a farewell address to the Lutheran 
Church of Schoharie, of which he was a 
member. A sermon was preached by Rev. 
P. Snyder. The pastor of the church, the 
writer of this sketch, addressed the missionary 
and his companion on their duties and sacri- 
fices in the great work which they had 
undertaken, and commended them to God 
and his grace, in their noble and perilous 
enterprise. The farewell address of Mr. 
Gunn left an impression on the minds of the 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 19 

congregation, which will never be effaced. 
With many tears and affectionate wishes, 
the members of the church and other Christian 
friends drew near to the missionaries to give 
them the parting hand; and it seemed as if 
they could not separate, so strong were the 
ties that bound them together; and yet the 
love of Christ was stronger in the hearts of 
his servants, who willingly severed those ties 
that they might carry the gospel to the 
heathen. In a letter to the pastor, from on 
board the ship which was conveying him to 
his destined field of labor, the missionary 
speaks of his affection for this people with 
whom he was so closely connected, and 
passed through many solemn and affecting 
scenes. He says : " It is now a year since 
I was with you in your precious revival. 
My heart swelled with emotions of gratitude 
as I saw many immortal souls gathered into 
the kingdom of God, and the remembrance 
of those scenes is still sweet and pleasant to 
my soul. But the distance of many thousand 
miles now separates us; and those dear people 
with whom I once was associated, and spent 
2 



20 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

so many delightful hours of Christina 
intercourse, I expect to see no more in the 
flesh. But though I shall be denied this 
privilege, I shall often think of them, and 
pray for their spiritual prosperity, and besides 
I shall look forward to the time when we 
shall be released from the trials and conflicts 
and temptations of the world, and meet again 
in Heaven." The revival of which he speaks 
in the above extract, occurred in the year 
1843. He was present at a communion 
season in the Evangelical Lutheran Church 
of Schoharie, when sixty converts were added 
to the church. This was on Sabbath, the 
7th of May, 1843. In the evening of that 
day, Mr. Gunn preached, and made a very 
impressive address to the converts, who had 
been received into the church. 

In October, 1843, he received his instruc- 
tions from the Executive Committee of our 
Foreign Missionary Society, which met in 
the city of Philadelphia, for that purpose. 
The corresponding secretary, Rev. Doctor 
Morris, delivered the instructions, and Rev. 
Doctor Kurtz, chairman of the committee, 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 21 

gave the missionary a farewell charge. In 
the following month (November, 1843,) he 
embarked with Mrs. Gunn, and several 
missionaries of the Baptist church, in a ship 
at Boston, for India. In a communication 
which the writer received from him a few 
days before his departure, he says : "I have 
preached my last sermon in my native land. 
A week from this day, we expect to sail in 
the ship Charles, from Boston, to Calcutta. 
We feel cheerful in view of the prospect 
before us, and trust that the Lord will sustain 
us in that hour, when we shall bid adieu to 
the last of our friends in our native land. 
The promises of God are exceedingly pre- 
cious to us, and we find near approaches to 
the Saviour in prayer." 



22 MEMOIR OF THE RET. WALTER GUNN. 



CHAPTER III. 

Arrival at Guntoor — Description of the place — 
Advantages connected with it as a missionary 
station — Labors of Rev. Mr. Heyer — Establish- 
ment of the mission by the Foreign Missionary 
Society of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, U. S. 
Successful labors of the missionaries — Mr. Stokes, 
the friend and patron of the mission — Difficulties 
connected with missionary labors among the 
heathen. 

Mr. and Mrs. Gunn arrived at Guntoor on 
the 18th of June, 1844, seven months after 
they had left their native land, and immedi- 
ately entered on the duties of their mission, 
in connection with Rev. Mr. Heyer, who had 
been previously sent out by the synod of 
Pennsylvania, and selected this place as most 
favorable for the establishment of our mission. 
Guntoor is a city in the Telugu country, 
situated between fifteen and sixteen degrees 
north latitude, and seventy-nine and eighty 
degrees east longitude from Greenwich. It 
lies near the sea, about sixty miles west from 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 23 

the coast of Coromandel. It is two hundred 
and fifty miles north of Madras, and contains 
about twenty thousand inhabitants, who are 
heathen, with the exception of a few Eng- 
lish residents, and native Christians. It is 
located in the midst of a dense population, 
surrounded by towns and villages, which 
might all be occupied as missionary stations. 
Here the Rev. Mr. Heyer, our first missionary 
from the Lutheran Church in this country, 
commenced operations. The selection was 
judicious. A more important and interesting 
field could not have been chosen. No place 
could have been selected in India, presenting 
stronger inducements for missionary labor, 
and offering greater advantages for the 
prosecution of the work. Mr. Gunn was 
cordially received by Mr. Heyer. He had 
labored here for nearly two years, and by 
his activity and zeal, produced a very favor- 
able impression, when he was joined by Mr. 
and Mrs. Gunn. The mission was now 
established by the Foreign Missionary So- 
ciety of the Evangelical Lutheran Church 
in the United States, and the missionaries 
2* 



24 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

labored so harmoniously together, that the 
work begun by Mr. Heyer, was successfully 
carried on by their united energies and faithful 
cooperation. 

In a letter received by the writer from Mr. 
Gunn, soon after his arrival in India, he 
says : " Here I am now in Guntoor, with 
my beloved wife, engaged in our labors 
among the heathen. Our principal work is 
the study of the Telugu language. At 
family worship each day, we have eight or 
ten persons in attendance, some of whom 
can understand English, and to these I have 
the privilege of unfolding the gospel of 
Christ. Mrs. Gurm has a small class whom 
she is teaching the elements of the English 
language. One is a man forty years old, 
two are females, who appear to be interested 
in the truth. A few nights since, after we 
had retired, w r e heard a low voice in an 
adjoining apartment : it was the voice of 
prayer from one of those females. 0, my 
dear brother, you cannot imagine how 
cheering these tokens of the Divine favor 
are to our souls in this land of darkness." In 



MEMOIR OT THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 25 

a communication received from him several 
months subsequently, he states: " Our schools 
are now in quite a flourishing condition, and 
I trust that much good may result from them. 
The care of the boys is divided between me 
and Mr. Heyer. The girls' school is under 
the superintendence of Mrs. Gunn, and 
numbers thirty-two. Considering the oppo- 
sition of the natives to the education of 
females, this is quite encouraging." 

In several letters and communications 
received from him about this time, he speaks 
of some of the discouragements, under which 
they had to labor in the commencement of 
their operations. A wide field was open 
before them, but it was a field abounding 
with so many obstacles, so much prejudice 
against Christianity, and opposition to the 
truth, that at times they were almost ready 
to despair ; but then again they were en- 
couraged by their faith in the promises of the 
gospel, and the kindness and support of the 
few Christian friends who resided in the 
place. Of these friends, Mr. Stokes deserves 
to be particularly mentioned. And his name 



26 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

should ever be held in grateful remembrance 
by the Lutheran Church in America, for the 
liberal and efficient support he has rendered 
to our mission from its commencement to the 
present time. He has been the personal and 
devoted friend of our missionaries, minister- 
ing to their wants, counseling them in their 
difficulties, and encouraging them in their 
work, by his uniform kindness and faithful 
and unwavering friendship. He is an officer 
under the British Government in India, and 
exerts an influence in promoting the religious 
welfare of the people, far more honorable to 
him, than any political distinction to which 
he could be elevated. He has repeatedly 
advanced large sums of money for the support 
of our mission, and has given us a noble 
expression of his confidence in our mission- 
aries, and especially, of his regard for Mr. 
Gunn, in an offer which he made not long 
since to our Executive Committee, of eight 
hundred rupees, if we would send out another 
missionary like Mr. Gunn. Speaking of this 
worthy benefactor of our infant mission in 
one of his letters, Mr. Gunn says : " He is 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 27 

the collector of this district, recedes a large 
salary from the government, and his greatest 
delight is to spread the gospel among the 
heathen. He is a man of liberal education, 
and one of the most devoted and exemplary- 
Christians I ever met with. He aids most 
liberally in the support of our schools, 
contributes regularly every month, besides 
giving large donations towards our buildings 
and other conveniences connected with our 
establishment" 

No one who has never experienced the 
trials and perplexities of our missionaries 
among the heathen, can form any idea of 
the difficulties connected with their work. 
They labor for a people who are incapable 
of appreciating their services, and generally 
show but little regard for the love and sacri- 
fices of the missionaries who are laboring 
and suffering among them. Their hearts are 
so depraved, so hardened in sin, that it is 
almost impossible to produce any good 
impression upon them, and we have instan- 
ces of faithful and devoted missionaries, who 
have toiled all their lives, and yet saw 



28 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

but little fruit of their labor. Mr. Gunn 
describes this state of the heathen, so trying 
to the faith of the missionaries, in the follow- 
ing language : " The indifference of the 
ungrateful people among whom we are 
wearing out the energies of our bodies and 
souls, often makes our hearts bleed. We 
remember, however, that it was for just such 
that Jesus came to suffer, and that it is only 
the grace of God which makes us to differ 
from them. In the midst of our cares and 
anxieties, we often find delight in looking 
forward to our eternal home. The rest that 
remaineth for the people of God, is just 
before us. A few more months and years, 
our trials will be over, and the glories of 
heaven burst on our vision; and then, if we 
should be so happy as to meet around 
the throne of God, some heathen, saved 
through our instrumentality, our joy will be 
full" 



MEMOIR OF THE EEV. WALTER GUNN. 29 



CHAPTER IV. 

Study of the Telugu language — Destruction of the 
mission house, by a storm — Another building 
erected, and removal of the missionaries to their 
new residence — Description of missionary build- 
ings — Return of Rev. Mr. Heyer to this country 
— Baptism of converts — Zeal and devotedness of 
native Christians — Schools — Encouragements in 
the work. 

The chief business of the missionaries, on 
their arrival at the station, was to acquire 
the language of the people among whom 
they were to labor. While Mr. Gunn was 
thus employed, he preached to the English 
residents, and also to the natives through an 
interpreter. This gave him much satisfac- 
tion, and afforded him some opportunity for 
usefulness to those around him. He had a 
great anxiety to become acquainted with the 
language, and thus be enabled to render him- 
self more directly and extensively useful to 
the natives, who could only be addressed in 



30 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

their own language. His feelings and 
anxieties on this subject are thus expressed 
in one of his communications : " 0, my 
brother, how I long to speak to the heathen 
in their own language. I can now express 
myself with considerable ease on common 
topics, in short sentences, in the Telugu 
language; but have to resort to an interpreter 
when I wish to make myself understood in a 
public and continuous discourse. I am 
thankful to my heavenly father that I am 
now able, to a certain extent, to make known 
the great truths of the gospel to those who 
are willing to hear, and trust that with the 
Divine assistance, I shall be permitted in a 
few months to preach more effectually to the 
heathen in their own tongue." 

In October, 1846, the mission house was 
nearly destroyed by a storm. Mr. Gunn 
and his family were suddenly driven from 
the falling ruins in the night, and found 
shelter in. a neighboring dwelling. The 
schools which had been held in the house 
that was destroyed, were scattered, and it 
was with difficulty that a remnant were 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 31 

collected, and instructed in a private dwell- 
ing, where also the exercises of public 
worship were performed. This was a 
serious disaster for the mission. It did 
not, however, dishearten our missionaries. 
Through the kindness of friends, who inter- 
ested themselves in their behalf, they were 
provided with a comfortable dwelling, until 
another building could be erected. Mr. 
Gunn immediately commenced the work of 
repairing the injury which the establishment 
had suffered, in consequence of the late 
providential visitation. Only the upper part 
of the mission house had fallen, the lower 
part still remained, and was fitted up for a 
chapel and school room. This work was 
accomplished in a short time, and the schools 
in the week, and worship on the sabbath, 
proceeded as usual, without] materially 
changing the condition of the mission. 
About the same time, an additional building 
was erected as a dwelling house for the 
missionary and his family, which is thus 
described by Mr. Gunn, in a report to the 
Executive Committee of our Foreign Mis- 



32 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

sionary Society, soon after he had entered 
his new residence : " We have a neat and 
comfortable dwelling house, into which we 
removed on the 20th of July, 1847. The 
main building, which is of brick, is composed 
of two rooms, one twenty-five feet by sixteen, 
and the other twenty by sixteen. On the 
outside is a verandah, nine feet wide, which 
runs all round, and enclosed on three sides, 
so that several small rooms are in the veran- 
dah part. The chapel and school room is 
forty feet long, and fourteen feet wide. The 
missionary buildings are pleasantly situated, 
and afford all the necessary conveniences for 
the family and teachers connected with the 
mission." 

In this year, (1847) Mr. Gunn was left 
alone with his wife, to superintend the 
mission. Mr. Heyer returned to this country 
to awaken, if possible, a greater interest 
among our churches, for the mission. In 
this effort, he was very successful, and much 
of the increased interest manifested by many 
of our churches in the cause is doubtless to 
be attributed to his faithful and efficient 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 33 



labors. He visited most of our churches in 
Pennsylvania and New York, and wherever 
he presented the cause, he left a favorable 
impression. Mr. Gunn being left alone at 
Guntoor, the work on his hands consequently 
became greater, and the difficulties increased, 
yet under all these difficulties, he labored in 
faith and with perseverance, and he had the 
satisfaction of seeing the work of the Lord 
prospering in his hands The work, although 
slow, gradually proceeded. The Lord blessed 
the seed sown by his servants, and made it 
fruitful. A few precious souls were hope- 
fully rescued from the guilt and miseries 
of heathenism, and brought into the fold of 
Christ. 

In a private communication to the writer, 
Mr. Gunn speaks of the favorable circum- 
stances which encouraged him in his labors 
about this period. He says : " There is 
an old gray-headed Telugu here, who is a 
servant of Christ, and often prays the Lord 
of the harvest to send more laborers into the 
field. Another native Christian and his wife 
walked ten or twelve miles yesterday, over 



34 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

a bad road, with a child in their arms, to 
attend the service on the sabbath, and 
walked home again in the afternoon. An- 
other young man I baptized yesterday, who 
seems to be truly taught of the Holy Spirit. 
Others are coming regularly to me from 
villages ten or fifteen miles distant, to be 
instructed in the principles of Christianity. 
O, dear brother, is it not a privilege to do 
something for the heathen? Could you have 
seen the joy that beamed from the counte- 
nance of the young convert I baptized yes- 
terday, and heard the expressions of Christian 
feeling he uttered, you might have formed 
some idea of the blessedness of laboring 
among the heathen, notwithstanding the 
trials and difficulties with which we have to 
contend." In the cases here mentioned, 
there is indeed nothing extraordinary ,nothing 
more than what is usual in all true and gen- 
uine conversions among the heathen. There 
is, however, one thing that is remarkable in 
all such cases ; they show the power of 
Christianity over paganism. It is objected 
by the opposers of foreign missions, that 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 35 



the heathen can not be converted. Every 
conversion through the instrumentality of 
Christian missionaries in pagan lands, is a 
practical demonstration of the power of the 
gospel unto the salvation of the heathen, and 
were there only one such instance on record, 
it would show the fallacy of this objection; 
but we have thousands of instances in the 
history of Christian missions, to prove that 
the heathen can be converted. Multitudes 
lost in darkness have been brought to the 
light, through the power and influence of 
Christianity. And this shows, that mission- 
ary efforts are by no means to be regarded 
as visionary; and that to send out mission- 
aries for the conversion of the heathen, when 
viewed in connection with its results, is quite 
as reasonable, as to engage in any benevolent 
or philanthropic enterprise, for the happiness 
of our fellow creatures. In his report to the 
Executive Committee of the Foreign Mis- 
sionary Society, for the year 1847, Mr. Gunn 
.Mates : " The number of scholars in connec- 
tion with our four schools at Guntoor, is one 
hundred. I have preached twice on the 
3* 



36 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

sabbath regularly to our native congregation 
throughout the year, with one or two excep- 
tions. The number in attendance has been 
from fifty to one hundred and fifty. I have 
had many opportunities of addressing persons 
coming from a distance, upon the great doc- 
trines and truths of Christianity, and placing 
in their hands tracts and parts of scripture on 
their return to their homes. Thus the seed 
of the word has been sown. How much of 
it will hereafter spring up and bear fruit, 
is known only to God, in whom we trust." 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 37 



CHAPTER V. 

Continues his labors under encouraging circumstances 
— Addition of native converts to the church — 
Increase of schools — Stephen, a native teacher, 
and his wife, Rebecca — Rev. Mr. Heyer returns 
from America, and establishes a missionary station 
at Gurzal — Decline of Mr. Gunn's health — Visits 
Madras for the recovery of his health — Returns to 
Guntoor, and resumes his labors — Unable to per- 
form active duties — Meetings of converts in his 
room for devotional purposes. 

In 1848, he continued to labor with 
unremitting diligence in Guntoor, and in the 
vicinity, where the people were willing 
to listen to the gospel, and showed a dispo- 
sition to be profited by missionary labor. 
From his journal and letters of this year, it 
appears that though there was great oppo- 
sition to the gospel among the higher classes, 
and the great mass of the heathen round the 
station, still some impressions were made, 
which operated very favorably to the mission, 



38 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

and greatly encouraged the missionaries in 
their labors. A few converts were added to 
the number of those who had already united 
with the church — the church was strengthen- 
ened — the mission was more firmly establish- 
ed — the schools increased — and the work 
steadily progressed, amid all the difficulties 
which it had to encounter. In reporting the 
operations of this year, Mr. Gunn speaks par- 
ticularly of the schools. He says : "In 
our Telugu day school, there are fifty-two 
scholars, and in the girls' school we have 
twenty-eight. The scholars of the old 
Guntoor schools are all pariahs. Their 
number varied considerably at different 
times. At present, we have sixteen boys 
attending regularly. The number of scholars' 
at present on the list of the English school* 
is twenty-five. The whole number of scholars; 
connected with our four schools, is one 
hundred and thirty-three ; and besides the 
instruction imparted by the missionaries, 
other teachers are employed as assistants. 
Stephen, a native convert, is the teacher of 
the i Quntoor school. His wife, Rebecca, 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 39 



who was recently baptized, is able to read 
w^ell, and has charge of twelve little girls, 
whom she is teaching. The truths in which 
the scholars are instructed from day to day, 
are the precious truths of God, and though 
we may not see immediate results, yet a 
blessing may follow after many days." 

In 1849, Mr. Gunn was again left with- 
out the assistance of Mr. Heyer, who after 
his return from America, proceeded to Gur- 
zal, about the beginning of this year, where 
he established another missionary station, 
which has proved eminently useful to the 
cause. Gurzal is about sixty miles west 
from Guntoor, and there are several places 
in connection with it, where the gospel has 
been successfully preached by our mission- 
ary, and converts gathered into the church. 
In the absence of Mr. Heyer, much of the 
work devolving on the missionaries at Gun- 
toor, had to be performed by native assist- 
ants. Mr. Gunn was fortunate in having 
several such assistants, and the schools and 
religious services were continued without 
interruption. In the course of this year, his 



40 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

health began to decline. By repeated at- 
tacks of fever, his constitution became so 
much impaired, that he was obliged to re- 
linquish part of his work, and only attend to 
such portions of it as he was able to perform. 
He was taken w 7 ith hemorrhage of the lungs; 
his strength gradually failed, and it became 
evident to himself and friends, that he was 
threatened with pulmonary consumption; he 
was advised by physicians to seek relief by 
a journey to the sea shore. He accordingly 
repaired to Madras, where he spent some 
time in the year 1850, attended by Mrs. 
Gunn, in the residence of Dr. Scudder, a 
missionary of the American Board of Com- 
missioners for Foreign Missions. Here his 
disease, after some time, put on a more fa- 
vorable appearance, and after having con- 
siderably improved, he returned to his post 
at Guntoor, in June, 1850. Here he again 
devoted himself to his labors, as far as his 
strength would permit. He was not able to 
perform much active labor. He was anxious 
to do all he could; his whole heart was in- 
terested in the work, and sometimes he exert- 



MEMOIR OF THR REV. WALTER GUNN. 41 



ed himself beyond his strength. Though he 
was weak in body, his mind was still vigor- 
ous, and he labored to do good to the souls 
of those who visited him in his sickness, and 
with whom he had an opportunity of con- 
versing, when he was no longer able to 
preach. He wrote many affecting appeals 
to the friends of the cause, and the churches 
in this country, to stir them up to greater 
diligence in the work. Even after he was 
confined to his house, he exerted a blessed 
influence on the heathen who visited him in 
his afflictions, to sympathise with, and show 
their regard and affection for him. The 
converts often met in his chamber, and poured 
out their hearts before God, in prayer/ for 
their beloved shepherd and the mission; and 
those seasons of prayer with the heathen 
converts, whom God had given him as seals 
to his ministry, were, as he himself stated, 
the happiest seasons he spent on earth. In 
his last letter to the writer, when he was near 
his end, he says: "How many mercies and 
trials have I experienced since I stood up in 
the church of Schoharie, and declared my 



42 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

determination to preach the gospel to the 
heathen. Three or four times I have been 
within a step of death, but I am still alive, 
and deem it a blessed privilege to exert my 
feeble strength in this blessed cause. I was 
thinking a few evenings since, what a privi- 
lege it was, in the midst of bodily weakness 
and languor, to listen to the fervent prayers 
and praises of the converts, whom the 
Lord has given us in Guntoor from the Telu- 
gus. What will be our joy, when we shall 
meet these converts in heaven ? it is de- 
lightful to meet with these first fruits of our 
mission, round the throne of grace. They 
are the happiest seasons I have ever expe- 
rienced." When he wrote this letter, he was 
on the borders of eternity. And as he was 
ready to depart, he was still anxious to ds 
something for the heathen. He looked upon 
the employment of the missionary as a great 
and glorious work. " Who" said he, ? can 
estimate the dignity and glory of this enter- 
prise." 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 43 



CHAPTER VI. 

Last illness and death. — Character. 

During the winter of 1851, he experienced 
but little relief from the malady which was 
gradually undermining his system, and left 
but little hope for his recovery. He passed 
through the hot season of spring without 
much apparent change, though it was evi- 
dent to himself and friends, who felt a deep 
solicitude for him, that he was drawing near 
to the termination of his earthly career. In 
the beginning of June, his weakness increas- 
ed, and other symptoms of the fatal termina- 
tion of his disease began to appear. He 
was now brought to the borders of the grave, 
with the full consciousness that he was on 
the eve of his departure for the eternal world ; 
and in view of the great change which 
awaited him, the exercises of his mind were 
so interesting, and exhibit so much of the 
spirit of the work to which he was devoted, 
4 



44 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

that we will mention a few particulars, as 
they were furnished by friends, who attended 
him in his last sickness. 

As he felt his end approaching, he spoke 
frequently to those around him of the work 
which he was soon to leave, and expressed 
a hope that the laborers who would succeed 
him, might be enabled to reap a rich and glo- 
rious harvest. He felt a deep interest in the 
salvation of those for whom he had so faith- 
fully labored, and as he drew near to the 
close of his labors, this interest seemed to 
increase, and he exhorted all who were con- 
nected with the mission, to consecrate them- 
selves more fully to the work. At a time 
when he was suffering under great bodily 
weakness, he remarked to a friend, that he 
felt the frail tabernacle rapidly giving way, — 
but he rejoiced that when it did fall, he had 
a building of God — a house not made with 
hands, eternal in the heavens. He often 
spoke of the evils, with which he had to 
contend in his own heart. He mourned 
over his sins, and lamented that he had 
accomplished so little in the great cause for 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 45 



which he had been permitted to labor — but 
had confidence in the merits and righteous- 
ness of his Saviour, and rejoiced in the 
bright prospect that opened before him in 
that world of bliss, where sin and sorrow 
never enter. His great desire seemed to be, 
that the work from which he was about to 
be removed, might go on, and that God 
might be glorified in it. If it had been the 
Lord's will, he would gladly have continued 
his labors, but since the Lord of the harvest 
had determined to call him away, he cheer- 
fully obeyed the summons. His desire was 
to depart and be with Jesus. He had no 
other wish but that God's will might be 
done, and that he, and his friends and fellow 
laborers might yield up themselves, and all 
the concerns of the mission, in perfect sub- 
mission to his will. 

He endeavored to prepare his wife and 
children for the separation w T hich he knew 
must soon take place. When he saw Mrs. 
Gunn depressed in spirit, and giving way to 
those feelings, which in her circumstances it 
is natural to indulge, he would point her to 



40 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

appropriate passages of scripture, and then 
leave her to her own reflections, that she 
might look to God for that grace and strength 
which she needed. When in a conversation 
on the severe trial that awaited her, she 
remarked to him, that she sometimes feared 
that when it really came she would sink 
under it, he said, " With God's grace, you 
can bear it now, as well as at any time, 
and I feel assured in my mind, that the 
Lord who has thus far sustained you, w T ill 
bear you up until the end." 

He loved the Bible, and could say in his 
afflictions, " Thy word, Lord, hath com- 
forted me." He had divided the Psalms into 
thirty-one parts for each day in the month, 
which he read in the morning and evening. 
He also read portions from the Old and New 
Testaments each day, and compared them, 
that he might impress them more deeply on 
his mind. When he became too weak to 
read, Mrs. Gunn read aloud to him ; and 
he often expressed to her the great comfort 
and satisfaction he derived from this exercise 
which she daily and regularly performed 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 47 

He had also his favorite Hymns, which by 
his request, she sung, in connection with daily 
prayer and reading of the word. One day, 
when they were conversing on the change, 
which in all probability soon awaited him, 
she asked him how it appeared to him, and 
how he thought he should be able to meet 
it ? He referred her to the Hymn, " Rock 
of Ages," and said that Hymn described his 
feelings much better than he could express 
them. As he became weaker his voice 
entirely failed him, and he felt that it 
was a great privation w T hen he could no 
longer express himself audibly in prayer. 

On the 27th of June, which w T as his birth 
day, Rev. Mr. Heyer, and Rev. Mr. Groning, 
and Mrs. Groning, the missionaries from the 
neighboring stations, met at his house. The 
day w r as chiefly devoted to religious conver- 
sation, and devotional exercises. It was a 
solemn season for those missionaries, who 
had assembled to mingle their prayers and 
sympathies with their departing brother, and 
commend him, and the interests of the cause 
for which they had labored together, to the 
4^ 



48 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

God of missions. In the evening, Mr. Gunn 
had so much strength that he was enabled to 
sit down with his friends and fellow laborers 
at the tea table, after which, they united in 
family worship. They sung a birth day hymn. 
Mr. Groning read the 21st chapt. of Revela- 
tions, and then offered up a fervent and im- 
pressive prayer. All were deeply affected, 
and God was there with his special presence, 
and holy spirit, to comfort the hearts of his 
servants, who in this trying season looked to 
him alone for support and consolation, 

The next Sabbath, June 29th, the little 
band of missionaries at the station, celebra- 
ted the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. It 
was the last communion season our departed 
brother enjoyed on earth. He experienced 
much comfort and peace. It was to him a 
rich foretaste of the heavenly joy which was 
oefore him. On Monday 30th, he was again 
favored with precious manifestations of the 
divine presence. His soul appeared to be 
filled with the anticipated joys of the saints 
in glory. While Mrs. Gunn was reading to 
him a favorite passage, " There is a river 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 49 

the streams whereof shall make glad the 
city of God," he exclaimed, " 1 feel some- 
times as if the spirit must be instantly released 
from this poor suffering body, and I could fly 
away." 

On Tuesday, July 1, he continued sinking 
under increasing bodily weakness, though he 
retained his strength of mind in a' remark- 
able degree. He gave Mrs. Gunn some di- 
rections in regard to pecuniary and domestic 
affairs. He made it a matter of conscience 
to owe no man any thing; and he was par-' 
ticularly desirous that all demands against 
him and his family, should be paid before his 
departure. Upon being asked again by Mrs. 
G., how he felt, he answered, " The publi- 
can's prayer is more suitable for me than any 
other. I have been but an unprofitable ser- 
vant, a poor broken reed, but it is a comfort 
to know that we are accepted in Christ, 
the beloved." To a friend who called 
to see him this day, he said, " I know in 
whom I have believed." To another visiter 
he remarked, that he was not able to con- 
verse much, and then added, " O delightful 



50 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

thought of home." In the evening, as Mrs. 
G. was standing by his side, assisting him 
in taking his tea, he fainted, and it was some 
time before he recovered. His little son 
Luther, a child about six years old, came in, 
and seeing him apparently lifeless, he asked 
if his papa was dying. His mother said to 
him, she thought he would soon leave them. 
He then said, " I would like to keep my dear 
papa, but if it please the Lord to take him, 
we must give him up." This simple decla- 
ration of her child, expressing so much sub- 
mission to the will of the Lord, comforted 
the sorrowing mother's heart, and she felt 
herself greatly strengthened in her heavy af- 
fliction. On Wednesday, July 2d, it was evi- 
dent that he was near his end. On being asked 
whether he had any fears of death, he replied, 
"None at all, all is bright and glorious. 5 ' 
Observing that Mrs. G. was much distressed, 
he said to her, " My dear, it will be well for 
you, when you feel so, to think of the hymn, 

l< When languor and disease invade 
This trembling house of clay, 
'Tis meet to look beyond the sky, 
And long to fly away." 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 51 

He manifested great attachment to his 
wife and children ; and occasionally during 
his sickness, appeared to be much concerned 
for them; but as his end approached, he 
calmly and cheerfully gave them up into the 
hands of God, who, he knew, would take care 
of them; and he said to them, " I can now 
leave you to the protection of Him, who is 
a father to the fatherless, and the widows' 
God." When his beloved partner, who had 
shared with him in his missionary labors, and 
so tenderly sympathized with him in all his 
trials and afflictions, expressed to him a wish 
that if it were the Lord's will, she might 
be permitted to go with him into the man- 
sions of eternal rest, he said to her, " Not yet, 
the Lord has yet a work for you to do in this 
mission." When she asked him whether he 
had any further wish to express in regard to 
herself or the children, he said, " Train up 
the children for Christ.' 

On Thursday and Friday, he continued to 
grow weaker. Mrs. Gunn read to him from 
the passage in Jay's Exercises, " Faint, yet 
pursuing." He said, with a smile, " that is 



52 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

just as I feel, faint yet pursuing." He slept 
some on Friday night, and though he repeat- 
edly urged Mrs. Gunn to take some rest, she 
remained with him and spoke with him seve- 
ral times during the night. In the morning, 
as the light came into the room, she saw that 
the hand of death was upon him. She read 
to him the text for the day, and he requested 
her to repeat it, and then said, " That will 
do now.' 5 After having joined with her in 
prayer, he turned to his wife, and said, u My 
dear, I feel as though I were fainting, I can 
not describe the strange feelings I have. Do 
you discover any change ? 55 Before she 
could speak, he said, " I hope there is a 
change. If this could be my last day, Oh, 
how delightful. 55 Having requested his bed 
to be moved near to the window, where he 
could see the mission buildings, he wished for 
a few moments to be left to himself, evident- 
ly with the intention of once more commend- 
ing the interests of the mission to God in 
prayer, with his dying breath. 

When Mrs. Gunn returned to the room, 
she found him with his hands folded on his 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GTJNN. 53 

breast, saying, "Lord Jesus come, come 
quickly. 5 ' He called his children, who knelt 
by his bed-side. He laid his hands upon 
the head of each, and with his dying admo- 
nition gave them a father's blessing. After 
which he composed himself to meet the last 
enemy. There was no struggle. He was 
perfectly calm. Mrs. Gunn saw that he was 
dying. His lips were still moving. She 
bent down to his face, anxious to catch the 
last word he might utter, and said to him, 
" My dear husband, is Jesus with you ?" 
He faintly whispered, " Yes Jesus is with 
me," and with these words on his lips, he 
fell asleep in Jesus, on Saturday, July 5th, 
1851. 

A number of the heathen had assembled 
at the mission house to see him in his last 
moments, and witness his departure. Among 
these were some, who had been brought into 
the fold of the great Shepherd through his in- 
strumentality. After he was dead, four of 
these native converts asked the privilege of 
remaining, and watching with his body 
during the night. This request was of course 



54 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

granted, and they had the mournful satisfac- 
tion, of giving this last sad testimony of 
their love and affection for their departed 
shepherd. In the evening, when the afflicted 
widow entered the room, to look on the re- 
mains of her loved husband, she found them 
sitting round the body, with their Testaments 
in their hands, and after having retired to her 
chamber, with her two children, in the still- 
ness of that night of grief and sorrow, she 
heard them sing in Telugu, the favorite 
hymn of their beloved pastor, whose voice 
was now silent in death: 

" Rock of Ages, cleft for me! 
Let me hide myself in thee j 
Let the water and the blood 
From thy wounded side which flowed, 
Be of sin, the double cure, 
Cleanse me from its guilt and power. 

iC Not the labor of my hands 
Can fulfill thy law's demands, 
Could my zeal no respite know, 
Could my tears for ever flow, 
All for sin could not atone, 
Thou must save, and thou alone. 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 55 

u While I draw this fleeting breath, 
When my eye-strings break in death, 
When I soar to worlds unknown, 
See thee on thy judgment throne, — 
Rock of Ages, shelter me! 
Let me hide myself in thee." 

" Never," says Mrs. Gunn, in a communi- 
cation stating these affecting circumstances, 
" did the voice of prayer and praise sound so 
sweetly in my ears, coming, as it did, from 
the lips of those who only a few years since, 
w r ere among the most degraded heathen. It 
poured a balm into my afflicted soul. I felt 
rewarded for the trials I had experienced, in 
tearing asunder the ties that bound me to 
my native land, and for the severe affliction 
which God in his mysterious providence had 
now laid upon me. 55 

His funeral was held on sabbath, the 6th 
of July, and attended by the English residents 
at the station, and a large concourse of the 
heathen population. Rev. Mr. Heyer, our 
missionary at Gurzal, read the funeral service 
in the English language, and Rev. Mr. 
Groning, missionary at Ellore, in Telugu. 
5 



56 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 



The native Christians and the children of the 
mission schools sang, in Telugu, the hymn 
" Rock of ages." 

Mr. Gunn devoted himself to the work of 
foreign missions, from a principle of love to 
his Divine Master, and a sincere regard for 
his glory. He loved the cause, and after he 
had given himself up to it, he labored 
patiently and cheerfully in it, as long as 
God gave him strength. We had hoped 
that his life might be spared for many years, 
and that he might be long and extensively 
useful among the people, where he had gone 
to labor. But he was cut down in the midst 
of his days and usefulness; and God, who in 
his mysterious providence so directed, has a 
wise purpose in this dispensation, which we 
can not now fully see; but we shall see it 
hereafter, when all the purposes of God, and 
the w T isdom of his dispensations shall more 
fully be made known. We know it is the 
Lord who has laid his hand on our infant 
mission, we acknowledge it is right, and 
bow with submission to the dispensation of 
the Almighty. For our departed brother, we 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 57 

do not mourn — our loss is his gain. He has 
entered into his eternal rest — a rest to which 
he looked forward with hope and joy; and 
how consoling must be that rest, after having 
passed through so many toils and tempta- 
tions, and conflicts, and trials of faith. 

Mr. Gunn did not possess those brilliant 
talents which strike the mind with so much 
force, and carry it away with the first im- 
pression. It required some time, and an in- 
timate acquaintance with him, to form a due 
estimate of the qualities of his mind and 
heart; and he always stood highest in the 
esteem and affection of those who knew him 
best. His preaching was instructive; he 
aimed at practical effect; he always left a 
good impression on his hearers, and gained 
their confidence and affection by the gradual 
exhibition of the excellencies of his charac- 
ter. He had a sound mind and excellent 
understanding, cultivated and enriched by a 
liberal education. His attainments in know- 
ledge and piety, were above the ordinary 
standard, yet he never prided himself on his 
acquirements, and made no unnecessary dis- 



58 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

play of them; he was always humble, ready 
to acknowledge his deficiencies, and willing 
to profit by the advice and counsel of others, 
whom he looked upon as his superiors in 
knowledge and experience. 

He was eminently a man of prayer; he 
was so full of this blessed spirit, that it may 
truly be said of him, that prayer was his vi- 
tal breath. He always acted from the con- 
viction, that the blessing of God was neces- 
sary for the success of every enterprise, and in 
whatever he undertook, he consulted the will 
of God, and prayed for his direction and 
blessing; he sought direction from God by 
prayer, when he first thought of preaching 
the gospel to the heathen, and under the in- 
fluence of the spirit of prayer, he devoted 
himself to the w T ork; and it was this same 
spirit which afterwards sustained and en- 
couraged him in his missionary labors. He 
was a successful missionary, because he was 
a man of much prayer. 

He studied the scriptures that he might 
know the w T ill of God, and having ascertained 
his will, he yielded implicit obedience to it. 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 59 



He went straight forward in the path of duty, 
without regarding any sacrifice that might be 
required. When he was convinced that it 
was the will of God that he should become 
a foreign missionary, he promised God, that 
he would perform this duty, if the way was 
opened for him. It was a solemn promise, 
made in obedience to the will of God, and 
under the influence of the spirit of prayer, 
and faithfully did he keep his promise. God 
opened the way for him, he entered upon his 
work, did it faithfully, and fell a willing 
sacrifice; and in this, we see exhibited the 
strength of those holy principles of action, 
which govern the conduct of all true servants 
of God, who are conscientiously devoted to 
him. 

Our departed brother had an ardent love 
for souls, and a predominant desire for the 
salvation of the heathen. This desire arose 
from a deep and settled conviction, that the 
heathen were lost, and could only be saved 
by the gospel. He devoted himself to the 
missionary cause with this conviction, and 
5* 



60 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

seemed to be influenced by it in all his 
labors; he regarded his work as the most desi- 
rable employment in which a Christian can 
be engaged, and was attached to it from a 
principle which always rendered it pleasant 
to him. In his greatest difficulties and trials, 
he would not have exchanged it for any 
other situation or employment on earth. He 
was willing to labor in this work, and anx- 
ious to do all in his power to promote it, 
because he regarded it as identified with the 
glory of God, and the best interests of the 
human race; and when he was prevented by 
bodily weakness, from attending to those du- 
ties, which he had been accustomed to per- 
form, his greatest affliction was, that he 
could not be as active in the work as he 
wished. As his strength failed him, his heart 
seemed to burn w T ith an increased desire to 
be useful in the cause ; this feeling he evinced 
in the last communications that were receiv- 
ed from him. When he was approaching 
the borders of eternity, he felt more deeply 
than ever the value of souls; he seemed to 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 61 

forget his own sufferings, in viewing the 
miseries of the poor degraded heathen, who 
were perishing in multitudes around him. 

He was eminently useful to the mission, 
not only as a laborer, but as a friend and 
counsellor in the cause; in this relation, his 
loss will be deeply felt by the church. It is 
not too much to say, that in all the relations 
which he sustained to the church, to the 
missionary society, the executive committee, 
his fellow laborers at the mission, and the 
heathen, he acquitted himself in the most 
exemplary manner. His patience and per- 
severance, his faith and confidence in God, 
his anxiety to labor while he had strength to 
perform his duties, and his submission to the 
divine will, when he was no longer able to 
labor, his love for the heathen, and his desire 
to lay down his life as an humble instrument 
in their salvation, all these qualities formed 
beautiful traits in his character, and furnish 
an example, which will have a blessed influ- 
ence on that mission, long after he shall have 
been in his grave. And in the example which 
he has furnished to the church, he has left 



62 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

her a legacy, which is worth more than all 
the other services he has rendered her. It is 
a lovely example of humility, faith, obedi- 
ence, self denial, conscientiousness and be- 
nevolence. With this example before her, 
it is the duty of the church to go forward in 
the work to which our brother was devoted, 
and offered himself the first sacrifice. The 
American Lutheran Church is urged to this 
duty by many weighty considerations, a few 
of which 3 we shall state in the conclusion of 
this memoir. 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 63 



CHAPTER VII. 

Reasons why the Lutheran Church should go forward 
in the work of foreign missions. 

The Lutheran Church in the United States 
should go forward in this cause, because, 1st, 
The spirit of foreign missions is necessary to 
promote the prosperity of the church at home. 
The church can not prosper, unless she is 
found in the path of duty; and the duty of 
the church is to send the gospel to every 
creature. The great object of Christianity, is 
the conversion of the world ; and every 
church must feel an interest in this object, 
if she would enter into the spirit of the gos- 
pel, and enjoy the favor and blessing of her 
Supreme Head. It is her duty to pray the 
Lord of the harvest to send more laborers in- 
to the field, to contribute according to her 
ability, that the laborers already in the field 
may be sustained, and that others may be 
sent out to assist them in the work. The 
church is bound, by her covenant obligations, 



64 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

to use the means which God has placed in 
her hands for the conversion of the world. 
Christians must realize these obligations; 
they must feel that they owe a duty to the 
heathen; that they are debtors to all the 
world; they must love the souls of their pe- 
rishing fellow creatures, and be willing to 
make sacrifices for their salvation. This is 
the true spirit of our religion — it is a spirit of 
benevolence. Christ himself manifested this 
spirit, when he gave himself as a sacrifice for 
the sins of the world, and it is his design 
that this spirit should prevail in his church — 
without it, the church can not prosper. 
A church who is devoid of the spirit of 
Christ, who has no sympathy for the heathen, 
and no concern for the salvation of the world, 
may have a name to live, but is dead, dead 
to the spirit of Christ, dead to the life and 
power of religion, dead to all the ends and 
purposes of its institution; it has no vital 
Christianity ; it has not that love which is the 
only evidence of true religion; it possesses 
none of those essential principles, which 
can secure to it the favor and blessing of God. 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 65 

And how can such a church prosper? God 
will not bestow his favor on such a people; 
w r e see this frequently exemplified ; we see 
churches, who are abundantly able to give 
liberally for the spread of the gospel through 
the world, and yet give but little, and that 
often grudgingly. They withhold from God 
the tithes, which theys hould bring into his 
storehouse for aiding his cause, and those 
very means which they should devote to him, 
they use for their own selfish and worldly 
gratifications. And how many churches are 
impoverished and ruined by this selfish and 
worldly spirit. God sends leanness into their 
souls; he sends them the canker and the 
mildew to eat up their substance; he with- 
holds his blessing from them; religion lan- 
guishes; the sanctuary is forsaken; the gos- 
pel can not be supported ; ministers are driven 
from their posts and the churches left deso- 
late, and all these judgments have come upon 
them, because they have closed their hearts 
against the spirit of Christ, and given them- 
selves up to a selfish and worldly spirit. No 
church can prosper in this day, when we 



66 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

have so much light on this subject, withou 
the missionary spirit. 

A church which enters into the spirit o 
foreign missions, and is active in the cause 
must be blessed. It may be compared to th 
earth, sending up its vapors into the clouds 
and receiving back the refreshing show r ers 
to fertilize and make it fruitful. Suppos 
the earth were to withhold the moistur 
which ascends in the air and forms the 
clouds, upon the plea that it was exhausting 
itself; would it ever be visited by the rain 
and the showers, which are indispensable to 
give " bread to the eater, and seed to the 
sower?" No, it would soon become a barren 
waste; it would then indeed be exhausted, 
and make itself poor by withholding the 
means necessary to enrich it. Suppose the 
husbandman were to withhold his seed from 
the ground, upon the pretence that he had 
none to spare; would the ground yield its 
increase, and furnish the owner with a crop 
every returning season? There would be no 
such return, and the husbandman would find 
that he was empoverishing himself by such 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 67 



a selfish and short sighted policy. So if we 
withhold the gospel from the world, we de- 
prive ourselves of a rich spiritual harvest, 
which we might reap for our own souls. 
When we send out the gospel, we scatter 
seed among distant nations, which will yield 
an increase of blessings on our own soil. 
We send out streams of salvation to water 
others, which will return with showers of 
grace upon ourselves. We shall thus most 
effectually promote the prosperity of our own 
churches. We shall be elevated and strength- 
ened, and enlarged by this spirit, and find by 
our own experience, that what God says in 
his word, is true: " There is that scattereth, 
and yet increaseth, and there is that with- 
holdeth, but tendeth to poverty. 5 ' 

Not long since w T e had an account of a 
church laboring under a heavy debt, and the 
people felt discouraged, and thought they 
would never be able to recover from the low 
state, into which they had fallen. They call- 
ed a pious and experienced minister, who 
commenced his pastoral duties, by urging the 
people to give for sending the gospel abroad; 



68 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

and through his influence they soon raised 
large sums to circulate the Bible and send 
out missionaries; and the consequence was, 
that their debt was paid, and they became 
one of the most efficient and flourishing 
churches in the community. And so it will 
be in every case, where the missionary spiri 
prevails. The best way to promote the in 
terests of the churches, and support the gos 
pel at home, is to send it abroad. If w 
would furnish it to our own population, an 
the destitute places around us, we must give it? 
to the heathen. When we attend to the wanti 
of others, we shall not forget ourselves; w 7 hen 
we do good to our fellow creatures, we shall 
be better prepared to benefit ourselves; when 
we send the gospel to the heathen, and hear 
how thankfully they receive, and how highly 
they prize it, we shall set a higher value 
upon it, and do more for it among ourselves; 
it will come back to us like the refreshing 
showers upon the parched ground and dry 
earth. If we would raise up ministers to 
supply the churches at home, we must send 
missionaries abroad; this is the true policy! 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 69 



of Christ's spiritual kingdom. If the Luther- 
an Church would succeed in the noble enter- 
prise of domestic missions, in which she is 
now exerting herself with so much energy, 
if she would furnish the men and money call- 
ied for in the great west, and meet the de- 
[mands in other destitute portions of our 
country, she must go forward in the cause of 
{foreign missions. There is no cause which is 
calculated to draw out the hearts of our peo- 
ple like this. Our past experience shows this. 
The Lutheran Church in this country, never 
evinced so much spiritual life, and advanced 
so rapidly in prosperity, as she has since the 
commencement of our foreign missionary 
operations. Such is the result of the spirit 
of foreign missions; it elevates the character 
of the church, brings up the people to a 
higher standard of piety, and prepares them 
to engage more readily and liberally in every 
good work. " There was a period of my 
ministry," said Andrew Fuller to a friend, 
" marked by the most pointed systematic ef- 
fort to comfort my serious people, but the 
more I tried to comfort them, the more they 



70 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

complained of doubts and fears; I knew not 
what to do, for I had done my best to com- 
fort the mourners in Zion. At this time, it 
pleased God to direct my attention to the 
perishing heathen in India. I felt that we 
had been living for ourselves, and not caring 
for their souls; I spoke as I felt; my serious 
people wondered and wept over their past 
inattention to the subject. They began to 
talk of a Baptist mission, the females espe- 
cially began to collect money for the spread 
of the gospel; we met and prayed for the 
heathen, and considered what could be done 
for them among ourselves, and did what we 
could; and whilst all this was going on, the 
lamentation ceased, the sad became cheerful, 
and the desponding calm. No one com- 
plained of a want of comfort, and I, instead 
of having to study how to comfort my people 
was comforted by them, they were drawn 
out of themselves. Sir, that was the real 
secret; God blessed them, while they tried 
to be a blessing." Here is an example, to 
illustrate a great principle which still appears 
to be a secret in many churches, it is this; 



MEMOIR OF THR REV. WALTER GUNN. 71 



doing good to others, is the great means of 
drawing down blessings on ourselves. Let 
us profit by this example, let us send the 
gospel to the heathen, and pray that through 
the power of God, it may be made effectual 
unto their salvation, and God will send down 
his holy spirit in our hearts, and revive his 
work in our churches, and cause us to feel, 
that there is an intimate and inseparable 
connection between the spirit of foreign 
missions and the success and prosperity of 
the church at home. 

2d. God has opened the way. — When our 
missionaries entered into the field selected 
for our foreign operations, they followed the 
clear indications of Providence; it was the 
Lord who directed them to that field, and 
being convinced of this, they entered upon 
their work with strong confidence in God. 
The Telugu country is a large heathen terri- 
tory, along the eastern coast of India, con- 
taining 200,000 square miles, and embracing 
a population of 10,000,000. It is a country 
which, though covered with the thick dark- 
ness of paganism, holds out many encourage- 
6* 



72 MEMOIR OF THE REV WALTER GUNN. 

ments for missionary labor. It is full of 
large towns and cities, where the gospel 
might be preached if they could be supplied 
with missionaries; the whole country is open, 
and in many places the people are educated, 
intelligent, and willing to hear the gospel. 
It seems indeed strange, that Christians have 
hitherto directed so little attention to this 
interesting field. There are now only twenty 
missionaries in that whole region, stretching 
from Madras to Ganjam, along the coast 
upwards of 800 miles. 

About thirty years ago, a mission was es- 
tablished among the Telugus, by the London 
Missionary Society; but the work was not 
carried forward with that zeal and efficiency, 
which its importance demanded, and it does 
seem, that this field was reserved, by the 
providence of God, for the American Luther- 
an Church; and God has directed us to it in 
a manner, which clearly shows his design 
that we should possess and cultivate it. He 
directed his servants Gutzlaff and Rhenius to 
prepare the way for us, and after they had 
done so, to send their appeals to the Lutheran 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 73 

Church in this country, to stir up the hearts 
of our people in the cause. When our first 
missionary went out, he was led in the pro- 
vidence of God, to the very spot, where 
his services were most needed, and where he 
could labor most successfully. And in all 
the subsequent operations of our foreign mis- 
sion, we can plainly see the hand of the Lord 
directing and blessing his servants in their 
labors. He has added to the number of our 
missionaries, raised up kind friends for us, 
both at home and abroad, who, by their 
united efforts, and the divine blessing, have 
established our mission on a permanent basis, 
and extended its usefulness. We have now 
four stations, six ordained missionaries, four 
female missionaries, several native assistants 
and a number of schools in successful opera- 
tion, where the truths of Christianity are 
taught and impressed on the heathen mind. 

The work is constantly extending; our 
missionaries are calling for help ; they tell 
us that the way is open for a much greater 
work, that they need more laborers to gather 
the harvest, which God in his providence is 



74 MEMOIR OF THE KEV. WALTER GUNN. 

spreading out before them; God has blessed 
the labors of our missionaries, far beyond 
what was anticipated when they went out. 
It is one of the most remarkable instances of 
success which has attended modern mission- 
ary operations; in less than ten years, we 
have gathered a force of fifteen missionaries, 
including females and native assistants. We 
have established several churches, and ga- 
thered a large number of children in our 
schools, where they are instructed in the 
truths of the gospel. God, who in his 
providence has opened the way for us in 
this w T ork, has also prospered us ; he is still 
opening the way for more extensive useful- 
ness, and we must go forward that we may 
fulfil the purposes, for which God has called 
us into this enterprise. He has sent us into 
this vineyard to do a great work; the eternal 
happiness of thousands of souls, may de- 
pend upon our success, and it is our duty to 
do this work, and cultivate this field in obe- 
dience to the will of God, and for his glory. 
He has opened for us a large door for useful- 
ness, a way of access to the heathen world, 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

a way, in which we may exert a sa^v ing in- 
fluence upon the souls of many generations 
to come, and be the means of rescuing them 
from the darkness and miseries of heathen- 
ism. God has been teaching us, by all his 
providential dealings with us since we com- 
menced this work, that it is our duty to go 
on with it, and not faint, nor grow weary 
in it. 

We have had our trials, our dark seasons 
and afflictive visitations. We have sustain- 
ed a great loss, in the fall of one of the pio- 
neers of this enterprise; it is a severe blow 
to the mission, and there are doubtless other 
afflictions and obstacles in our way to try 
our faith and patience for the future; but the 
Lord, who has thus far been with us, will 
not now forsake us. The removal of our 
brother should lead us to exercise more faith 
in the God of missions; it shows us that we 
can place no dependence on human instru- 
ments, however necessary they may be to 
the work; God is our only helper — upon his 
almighty arm alone can we lean for support — 
to him we must look for success, and if we 



76 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUXX. 

are faithful and diligent in the work he has 
committed to our hands, he will continue to 
sustain and bless us in it. While he is with 
us, to lead us in the way, which he has 
opened for us, we have every encouragement 
to go forward, trusting in him as the pillar 
of our strength, and the rock of our support. 

The Lord is opening the way for the 
spread of the gospel all over the world. But 
a few years ago, China, and Burmah, and 
Turkey, and Madagascar, and the Batta 
country, and a large portion of India, were 
closed against the gospel; no missionary 
could enter those dark regions without risk- 
ing his life. But now God has opened the 
way in all these countries; there never was 
a time in the history of the world, when the 
heathen were so accessible to the gospel. 
God has shaken the earth, to make way for 
the coming of his spiritual kingdom; he has 
taken away obstacles which opposed the pro- 
gress of Christianity for centuries. By a late 
ordinance of the British government in India, 
the restrictions of caste, which prevented 
thousands from embracing Christianity, have 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 77 

been removed. This act establishes a new 
principle — it gives religious liberty to the 
people, and will do more to aid the progress 
of Christianity in India, than the labors of 
the last fifty years. Thus the Lord has opened 
the w r ay for the gospel among the heathen; 
and it is the duty of the church to look at 
these openings, and regard them as provi- 
dential indications, admonishing her to go 
forward in the glorious enterprise of evan- 
gelizing the world. 

3d. A missionary spirit is awakened in 
the church. — For many years, the Lutheran 
Church in this country appeared to be but 
little interested in foreign missions. Her 
energies were directed to her domestic mis- 
sions. We needed so many missionaries at 
home, that we had none to send abroad, and 
for a while the church seemed to forget the 
command of the Supreme Head, " Go ye 
into all the world, and preach the gospel to 
every creature. 55 But a new spirit has been 
awakened. With the revivals of religion, 
which brought new life and energy into 
the church, came also the missionary spirit; 



78 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

and this spirit so congenial to true Christ- 
ianity, and so indispensable to the pros- 
perity and glory of the church, is increas- 
ing, and though there are many within 
the pale of the church w r ho have not been 
brought under the influence of this spirit, 
still there are evident indications, that it is 
spreading and producing a general impres- 
sion. The people have been interested in the 
subject. Their attention has been roused by 
the facts that have been presented, and the 
wonderful developments of Providence in 
connection with our missionary operations. 
They have become better acquainted with 
the condition and wants of the heathen, and 
as they have become more enlightened, they 
have felt a deeper interest in the cause. 
Errors and prejudices which have existed 
for many years, have vanished, and members 
of churches, freed from these errors and 
prejudices, now begin to see that if they 
would do their duty, they must obey the 
command of Christ, to go out into the w T orld 
and preach the gospel to every creature. 
We rejoice to see such a spirit awakened, 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 79 

and our duty is to cherish it. It needs to be 
encouraged and strengthened, and the way 
in which this spirit which is now rising in 
the church can be most successfully encour- 
aged, is to go forward in the cause which it 
seeks to promote. We are now fully em- 
barked in the enterprise, and we have reason 
to be thankful for the success which has 
attended our efforts, and the missionary 
spirit which is awakened in the church. 
They are blessed indications to encourage 
the friends of the cause, and stimulate them 
to greater zeal and activity. We have long 
wished for this interesting crisis. Many 
hearts have anxiously looked forward to this 
period, and earnestly prayed that the Lord 
might awaken a missionary spirit, to stir us 
up in the work ; and it now remains to be 
seen whether the church will put forth the 
energies w T hich the crisis demands. Our 
mission is established under favorable au- 
spices; the labors of our missionaries have 
been blessed. A favorable impression has 
been produced on the minds of the people 
round our stations. Many appear to be 
7 



80 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

willing to listen to the gospel. Some have 
already embraced the truth, and yielded up 
their hearts to its influence. Souls have 
been hopefully converted ; churches have 
been established; schools have been gath- 
ered; and the instruction communicated in 
the schools, as well as the gospel preached 
by the missionaries, are shaking those false 
systems of religion, which have been esta- 
blished for ages in the minds of the heathen, 
and preparing them for the reception of 
Christianity. The success which has attended 
our past efforts, holds out every encourage- 
ment for the future. 

The Telugu people have a strong claim 
to the beneficence of the Lutheran Church 
in the United States. A nation of ten mil- 
lions lying in darkness, and perishing in 
sin, can not be viewed with indifference by 
a Christian community. They must be 
regarded with interest, and the time has 
come when we must show to the world, that 
we feel an interest in these souls, or suffer 
the reproach of leaving them to perish, 
when, perhaps, through our instrumentality, 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 81 



they might have been saved. God, in his 
providence, has brought us under peculiar 
obligations to the Telugu people. We owe 
the gospel to all the world, but more espe- 
cially to that nation where we have located 
our mission. That seems to be designed for 
us by Providence, as our special field of 
labor. We should therefore feel that there 
is a peculiar responsibility resting upon us 
in regard to this field. As a church, we are 
bound more than any other Christian denomi- 
nation, to cultivate this field, and gather this 
harvest; and if this harvest is lost, we shall 
incur a heavier condemnation than others 
who never entered on this field. 

The evangelization of the Telugu people, 
appears to be a work which God in a great 
measure, has designed for the American Lu- 
theran Church. It is a work in w 7 hich we 
should all feel it a privilege to engage, and 
in the prosecution of which, we have an ad- 
vantage, which we should all be willing to 
improve. God has opened for us a way of 
access to this people; he has awakened a 
missionary spirit, and raised up missionaries 



82 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

who have gone forth, and while some are 
laboring in the field, others are on the way, 
and others still who are ready to go, and of- 
fer themselves for the w T ork as soon as the 
church will send them : and while this spirit 
has been prevailing among us, while we 
have been sending out missionaries and 
giving the gospel to others, it has been rich- 
ly blessed among ourselves. Nothing has 
c ontributed so much to the success and pros- 
perity of our church in this country, as the 
establishment and successful prosecution of 
our foreign mission. For the truth of this 
assertion, we appeal to every intelligent ob- 
server of the progress of our church for the 
last ten years. The spirit of missions is the 
spirit of true religion, and where the mis- 
sionary spirit prevails, true religion will 
flourish; this is a fact long established by 
the experience of every Christian who has 
cherished this spirit, and we of the Lutheran 
Church are experiencing the same thing, 
and adding our testimony to that of other de- 
nominations, who have long been convinced 
of this truth 



MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER SUNN. 83 

The work of foreign missions will admit 
of no delay; thousands and millions of hea- 
then are perishing in sin; in thirty years 
another generation will pass away, and what 
is to be done for them must be done speedily. 
Multitudes round our foreign missionary sta- 
tions are willing to hear the gospel, and 
might doubtless be brought under its influ- 
ence if they could be furnished with preach- 
ers. The whole Telugu country, as we have 
already stated, is open for the propagation of 
Christianity ; if we had a hundred missiona- 
ries to send out this year, they could all be 
usefully and successfully employed; and we 
need this number to carry on the work as 
efficiently as our duty and the interests of the 
cause require. We appeal to all who love 
the Lord Jesus Christ and his cause, in the 
Lutheran Church, to come up to this work of 
the Lord, this work of benevolence in which 
the church is engaged, and assist in carrying 
it forward. We ask the prayers of the 
friends of the Redeemer, and trust that they 
will cheerfully and liberally contribute from 
the substance which God has given them, 
7* 



84 MEMOIR OF THE REV. WALTER GUNN. 

that this mission, which has been so far 
sustained by God's blessing, may go on and 
prosper. We look just at this period with 
intense interest on this mission. It has lost 
one of the main pillars upon which, humanly 
speaking, it seemed to rest; but we trust it 
has not lost that almighty friend, by whom 
alone it can be preserved and supported, and 
we hope and pray that that friend will stand 
by it in its present time of need, and that 
he will raise up other friends to take the place 
of him, who fell at his post like a true sol- 
dier of the cross, and that his example may 
be blessed to his successors in the work, and 
to the church at large. 



JOURNAL. 



September 12, 1847. 

Preached morning and afternoon from 2d 
Cor. iv, 1-7, and trust that the Lord may- 
condescend to bless my poor efforts to pro- 
mote the interests of his cause among the 
heathen. 0, how strong is Satan's power 
over the minds of these deluded idolators — 
how skillful in adapting his temptations to 
their various cases, and how successful in 
drawing the multitude after him. 

What remains therefore to the missionary 
but to do as Paul did, not to preach himself, 
but Christ Jesus the Lord — to preach Christ 
as the way, the truth, and the life — to set 
forth his amazing love in suffering and dying 
even for the heathen. 

At the close of the afternoon service, I 
asked Stephen if he understood my dis- 
courses. He answered, " thirty years I lived 
in idolatry, without ever h^aringthese import- 



86 



APPENDIX. 



ant truths, and my heart had become very 
dark and wicked, but the Word and Spirit of 
God are now dispersing my darkness and 
wickedness, and I do understand something." 
How encouraging is such a testimony to the 
missionary. 

September 19. — Spoke this morning from 
Luke xviii, 18-30, and hope that the seed 
sown on the occasion may not be entirely 
lost. There were two persons present from 
neighboring villages, whose hearts seemed 
to be impressed by the Spirit of God. May 
grace be given them to enter into the king- 
dom of Christ without delay. 

September 23. — Conversed a short time 
with an intelligent Mohammedan. He under- 
stands the English language well, and has 
been reading from time to time, different 
books that I have lent him. He spoke at 
this time about Paley's Natural Theology, 
which he has read with considerable care. 
After speaking a short time upon natural 
theology, I inquired if he had carefully read 
the New Testament, and what he thought of 
it He said he had read it, and that it con- 



APPENDIX. 



87 



tained an excellent system of religion, that 
it was reasonable throughout, which the Ko- 
ran was not. I then spoke to him affection- 
ately of the Christian system, as being the 
only one which gave us any knowledge of a 
suitable mediator through whom we could 
approach God, and obtain the remission of 
sin and eternal life, and that Jesus Christ 
was, without doubt, the mediator and saviour 
of lost sinners. I lent him a volume of ser- 
mons, in which the character and offices of 
Christ are set forth at length, which I hope 
and pray may prove beneficial to his soul. 

September 28. — Received this morning a 
package of Observers. In looking them over 
I found much that is calculated to grieve me, 
and some things of an encouraging nature. 
It is a painful thought that the subject of 
foreign missions has so slender a hold upon 
the hearts and affections of the brethren of 
our church — even of the brethren in the 
ministry. Surely it can not be pleasing in 
the sight of the Saviour, that year after year 
should pass away, and no young men from 
the bosom of our church be sent forth to la- 



88 APPENDIX. 

bor in the midst of the perishing heathen 
Our young brethren in the ministry, and 
those who are pressing into it, can not all b 
possessed of the right spirit, or they would, 
some of them at least, be willing to sunder 
the ties that bind them to home and friends, 
and pant to come forth and preach the ever- 
lasting gospel to the idolators of India. 

It is pleasant however to reflect that some 
of our brethren are dissatisfied with the past 
remissness that has been manifested, and are 
endeavoring to bring about a more vigorous 
state of feeling and action in the church on 
the subject of foreign missions. May it not 
end in words and printed resolutions. 

October 1. — Visited the school taught by 
Stephen in Old Guntoor. The first class ex- 
hibited great readiness in answering quest- 
ions in connection with the scriptures that I 
put to the several scholars, which showed 
that much pains had been taken by the 
teacher to instruct them. Several copies of 
the Ten Commandments and other portions 
of the scriptures were attached to the differ- 
ent parts of the wall of the school room, so 



APPENDIX* 



89 



that there is a silent testimony borne against 
idolatry, which strikes every reader that 
enters the room. 

October 4.— The monthly concert for 
prayer was held at my house, as usual. Much 
profitable conversation was had concerning 
the interests of Christ's kingdom; and when 
we separated, it was, I trust, with a mutual 
desire on the part of the six brethren and 
sisters present, to do more for the cause of 
Christ than we have hitherto done among 
the heathen, where our lot is cast. I read 
part of a chapter from Harris's Great Com- 
mission, well calculated to stir us up to in- 
creased activity among the heathen. 

October 19. — Had an interview with three 
Roman Catholics from the vicinity of Fer- 
ingapooram, One of them was quite intel- 
ligent, and spoke very freely of the irregu- 
larities of the priest, who is at present there, 
and the ill feelings of the majority of the 
people against him. May the vile conduct 
which the priests of the man of sin here ex- 
hibit in their midst, lead the people to open 



90 



APPENDIX. 



their eyes and seek for a purer religion than 
that of Rome. 

October 28. — One of our native Christians 
this morning, expressed a strong desire to 
me, that a plain and simple exposition of 
our Lord's Sermon on the Mount might be 
translated into Telugu. His thirst after di- 
vine knowledge is indeed most commend- 
able, and it is to me a source of much satis- 
faction to unfold the scriptures to him. One 
can hardly imagine, who has been brought 
up in a Christain land, in the midst of a vari- 
ety of religious books, of the great disadvan- 
tages that our native Christians labor under, 
who have only a part of the scriptures in 
their own language, and a few religious 
tracts; and from the manner in which they 
have been trained from their infancy, even 
these they are poorly prepared to understand. 
The Christian religion brings with it a variety 
of important truths, many of which the hea- 
then have known but little or nothing about; 
and even the terms in w^hich they have to be 
conveyed, are new, or have to be used in a 



APPENDIX. 



91 



different sense from what they ordinarily are. 
And with regard even to native Christians, 
they mistake our meaning constantly. A 
judicious exposition of one of the gospels 
translated into Telugu, would be of immense 
service to our native Christians, and help 
them to understand many passages of script- 
ure that are now exceedingly dark to them. 
A missionary in Madras is engaged in trans- 
lating one of the volumes of Barnes's Notes 
on the Gospels into Tamil. When such a 
work will be done for the benefit of the 
Telugus, I know 7 not. 

November 1. — Felt extremely tired this 
morning after the labors of the Sabbath, and 
having concluded my usual religious exer- 
cises with the natives who came to me, I lay 
down with a desire to get a little rest; but 
instead of that I got into conversation with 
different persons that came to me, and con- 
tinued it till after 12 o'clock The first 
person that came to me w T as a deceitful, 
caviling Brahmin. He professed to be en- 
tirely ignorant of all the systems of the Hin- 
doo religion, and declared positively that he 



APPENDIX. 



had no mind, that he understood nothing. It 
seemed to be no use to spend any time in 
conversing with such a man, and I thought 
I would try to convince him in some tan- 
gible way of his folly. I therefore started 
suddenly from my seat towards him, and made 
an attempt to take hold of his nose. He 
threw T himself back instantly, and cried out 
" don't touch me." But, I answered, you 
have no mind, and if you have no mind you 
are not a man, so there can be no harm in 
taking hold of your nose. When he saw 
that I was in earnest about the matter, he 
spoke again very decidedly, " I have a mind." 
He showed very clearly that he had a mind, 
and that it was made up very strongly to re- 
sist my defiling touch. The interview was 
apparently an unprofitable one, as almost all 
are that I have held with Brahmins. 

November 9. — Left Guntoor this morning 
for Prettipand, twelve miles distant, where I 
intend to spend a few days in preaching the 
gospel in the surrounding villages. It is 
painful to reflect, when I go forth abroad, 
that the interests of the mission at home 



• 



APPENDIX. 



93 



must suffer, and when I am at home, it is 
painful to think that the vast population of 
the villages around must be neglected. Surely 
our brethren at home can not be actuated by 
a right spirit, or they would not leave one 
man to toil on single handed year after year. 
If three or four missionaries of the right 
stamp were on the ground, the character of 
our present schools could be elevated at once, 
and the number increased; and then one or 
two might be preaching the gospel the great- 
er part of their time in the villages; and one 
might lend a helping hand in translating and 
giving a Christian literature to the millions 
of Telugus; and if one should be disabled 
by sickness, or laid aside by death, the work 
would not cease. As it is, the single handed 
missionary has a variety of things devolving 
upon him, none of which can be done as 
they ought to be; and what is more painful 
still, is the thought that he maybe removed 
by death at any time, and the mission be 
abandoned for years, or entirely given up. 
May God in his mercy, prevent such a thing, 
lest the heathen triumph. 



94 



APPENDIX. 



But to return. The journey was a 
pleasant one, and I felt thankful to God 
for the privilege of going forth and deliver- 
ing the messages of his grace to my fellow 
men. 

In the afternoon I spoke to a number of 
persons who had come together to transact 
their worldly business with the collector. I 
found it difficult at first to divest their minds 
from their own affairs, to listen to my mes- 
sage. But after listening awhile to their 
complaints about the failure of their crops, I 
succeeded in gaining their attention, while I 
presented to them the claims of the Lord of 
Heaven. One of the men asked with con- 
siderable apparent surprise, if God was of- 
fended with idolatry? I replied yes, and on 
account of idolatry his curse was visibly 
resting upon the people. Another asked, if 
they forsook their idols and served the true 
God, whether they should ever die? I an- 
swered that all men must die, whether idol- 
ators or the servants of the true God, but 
that there would be this great difference after 
death: idolators must be turned into hell, 



APPENDIX. 



95 



while those who loved and served the true 
God would be taken to Heaven. 

November 10. — Started this morning be- 
fore sunrise from the Bungalow, and went to 
Gottipand, a village three miles distant, and 
took my stand at the corner of one of the 
streets, and commenced conversing with a 
man who ventured near me. Soon another 
and another came up, and the news that a 
stranger was in their midst, spread, and I 
soon had a large congregation around me, 
men, women and children. Several of them 
listened with a good degree of attention to 
the things that were spoken, and gave their 
assent to the truths that were announced to 
them. A surly Brahmin, who seemed to 
know well the object that I had in view in 
coming there, felt disposed to make a dis- 
turbance. Having got upon a stone to make 
himself conspicuous, he spoke in a most vo- 
ciferous manner for some time. From the 
rapid manner in which he spoke, I could not 
understand all that he said, so I gave Nico- 
demus, my catechist, who accompanies me, 
an opportunity to speak; and bv his fluencv 
8* 



96 



APPENDIX. 



in quoting poetry from some of the poets 
who have condemned idolatry, the Brahmin 
seemed to be confounded, and walked off. 
After he departed, I told the people that the 
man had evidently come there with no good 
design, but that he had uttered one truth, 
upon which I would make a few remarks — 
that was, that " there is one God." That 
God, I said, had made a revelation of his 
will to men. He had given them laws, all 
of which they had broken, and they were 
consequently under the curse of God's law, 
on account of their sins; but that God had, 
in great mercy provided a Saviour, who had 
made an atonement for sin, and through him 
we could obtain eternal salvation for our 
souls. 

While I was speaking, several yoke of 
oxen and buffaloes were driven through my 
audience, though not with any design to 
make a disturbance. One man stood nearly 
half an hour with a harrow resting upon his 
shoulders, listening to the word of God. 

November 1 1. — Went this morning to the 
village Yennegendla, four miles distant from 



APPENDIX 



97 



the Bungalow, and in the shade of a Hindoo 
temple, bore testimony against idolatry, and 
in favor of the religion of Christ. Among 
my hearers was an old man apparently 
seventy years of age, who pretended to take 
a deep interest in w T hat I said, saying to 
those who stood around, " go and call the 
villagers, that they may come and hear." 
But it was easy to see that it was all a pre 
tense, as he was disposed to talk so inces 
santly as to give me constant annoyance> 
Under the cover of smooth words, there was 
doubtless a bitter hostility to me and my 
message. He was the chief man in the vil- 
lage, as it regards property and influence, 
and he doubtless thought that outw T ard re- 
spect shown towards me, might be of tempo- 
ral advantage to him. Among other things, 
I spoke of the various ways in which differ- 
ent persons w r ere striving to gain merit. 
Some, after having amassed a great amount 
of money by fraud and injustice, afterwards 
expended a portion of it in building a tem- 
ple or goprum, or digging a tank, thinking 
that such a thing would secure to them a vast 



98 



APPENDIX. 



amount of merit; but that such things were 
all vain in the sight of a just and holy God, 
however much they might be extolled by 
men. I afterwards learned that this same 
old man had built the temple in whose sha- 
dow I had spoken, w T ith the expectation of 
gaining merit by it. He has also the name 
of being a great rogue, and has got his pro- 
perty by injustice. 

This temple, or rather goprum, has been 
built within the last three years, the only 
new idolatrous temple that has been erected 
in the district for a long time. There are a 
great number of Hindoo temples in every 
direction, but they all have the marks of age 
and decay. This is an encouraging circum- 
stance to all those who are praying and la- 
boring for the conversion of India. On a 
part of this temple, several very obscene 
figures were carved, but by an order of the 
collector, they had been broken. This is 
doubtless looked upon by some of the bigoted 
Hindoos, as an unlawful interference, though 
it was submitted to without any open com- 
plaints. 



APPENDIX. 



99 



November 12. — Went this morning to 
Abbenanegoondlapallam, a village certainly 
of formidable name, though there are not 
many inhabitants in it. I thought at first I 
should have no people to speak to, as there 
seemed to be no particular movement in any 
direction. But I took my stand in the shade 
of a tree, and two men soon came to see 
what my business was. I commenced in- 
quiring about the school, and w as informed 
that there was none in the village, but that 
the one that was there three years ago, was 
soon after closed. I then asked about the 
temple, and what god it was dedicated to, 
and was informed that it was Hanooman, 
(the monkey god,) one of the incarnations 
of Vishnu. This led me to make some in- 
quiries about his ten incarnations, and the 
reasons of them; and after listening to the 
statements that were made by a Brahmin, 
for some time, I read a part of a tract, in 
which the incarnation of Christ is spoken of, 
and explained the reasons of his incarnation. 
By this time, thirty or forty persons had col 
lected together, and a good degree of atten- 



100 



APPENDIX. 



tion was paid to what I spoke. But the 
Brahmin, thinking that his interests might 
suffer by the proclamation of such truths to 
the inhabitants of the village, began to dis- 
pute warmly, and bring forward a host of 
foolish objections. When I read the Ten 
Commandments to the people, the Brahmin 
said they could not understand them, they 
were so ignorant. But he was greatly mis- 
taken, for one of those ignorant men began 
to make very correct remarks upon the pro- 
priety of the commandments, and declared 
that even the Brahmins were in the habit of 
breaking them all. I replied that it was 
true, that the Brahmins, whom they were ac- 
customed to look up to with so much rever- 
ence, were all lying under the curse of God's 
broken laws, and they could not atone for 
one of their own sins, much less for the sins 
of others. It is painful to think of the dread- 
ful influence that is exerted by the Brah- 
mins in almost every village throughout the 
district, upon the minds of the people, in 
every respect in w 7 hich religion is concerned. 
It is a source of unfeigned satisfaction to the 



APPENDIX. 



101 



Christian, however, that the religious influ- 
ence of the Brahmins is becoming weaker 
and weaker from year to year. 

November 16. — Met with Col. Thompson 
this afternoon, a devoted Christain, who has 
spent some time in Maulmain. From him I 
learned for the first time, that Rev. Mr. Bul- 
lard, one of my fellow passengers to India, 
died in April last. He was carried off sud- 
denly by that fearful disease, the cholera. A 
large and interesting field of usefulness had 
just opened before him, and he was about to 
enter it with much delight, when he was ar- 
rested by the hand of death, and called to 
his reward. How impressively do such dis- 
pensations of Providence, speak to the living 
to be up and doing the work that lies upon 
their hands to do. May they not pass by 
unheeded. 

W. GUNN. 

December 4th, 1847. 



102 



APPENDIX* 



NOTES OF A MISSIONARY TOUR 
THROUGH THE PALNAND. 

January 12. — This morning we all walked 
over the plains from Macheria to Polepully, 
about six miles. Most of the persons in one 
village through which we passed, had never 
seen a white face before, and it was amusing 
to see how intently they gazed upon us. 
One woman scrutinized us very narrowly as 
we passed ; but not being satisfied with a 
single sight of our faces, she started off upon 
the run, taking a circuitous course, and came 
up in front of us again, and looked upon us 
with mute astonishment, till we had passed 
her the second time. 

Polepully is the village in which John 
lives, the person whom I baptized in the 
beginning of the year 1847. He and his 
relatives felt themselves highly honored in 
having the missionaries come and spend a 
day with them, and immediately messengers 
were despatched to some other villages 



APPENDIX. 



103 



around to call together different persons 
whom John calls disciples — persons who 
have been more or less impressed by the 
truths of Christianity — that they might also 
enjoy the benefit of our visit. 

We stopped at first in the little house that 
I caused to be erected the year before, for a 
school house and place of worship. Here, 
also, there was a great curiosity to see the 
white strangers, and group after group of 
men, women and children, came crowding 
around the door, stretching their necks to 
the utmost to get a sight of us. 

After the tent came up and was pitched, 
two congregations were formed. As many 
as could be seated in the house spoken of 
above, I addressed, expounding to them a 
part of the 12th chapter of Romans. Among 
the persons before me were John, his wife, 
his three children, and several relatives, all 
of whom have renounced idolatry, and appear 
to be truly anxious to walk according to the 
gospel. John, notwithstanding many im- 
perfections, seems to have a strong desire to 
do good among his idolatrous brethren; and 
9 



104 



APPENDIX. 



though he often displays a zeal not according 
to knowledge, the Lord seems to have added 
a blessing to his efforts, in awakening the 
attention of ten or twelve persons to inquiry 
upon the subject of Christianity. The time 
that I spent among this simple-hearted 
people, was one of the happiest that I have 
experienced in India. To answer the ques- 
tions that they put to me, and to see the 
eagerness with w T hich they listened to the 
instructions of the gospel, was a source of 
great comfort to me. 

While we were engaged thus, Mr. Beer 
had a heathen audience to address at the tent; 
and during the whole day we all had as much 
as we could attend to, either with inquiries 
or with the heathen. Towards evening 
several more persons who had been sent for 
in the morning came to us, and our interview 
with these and the other inquirers, lasted till 
10 o'clock at night. We dismissed them 
several times, but they would not leave us 
till that hour. We feel more and more, as 
we become acquainted with native character, 
the importance of exercising great caution 



APPENDIX. 



105 



in giving an opinion concerning the spiritual 
state of this or that person, and the danger 
of misleading the minds of our brethren at 
home, by giving more favorable accounts 
than the state of the case will justify. Yet 
as far as we then could judge from appear- 
ances and from personal conversation with 
the parties, we had reason to believe that 
there were at least ten persons before us, who 
were truly impressed by the truth of God, 
and sincerely desired to be numbered among 
the followers of Christ. I should remark, 
that some of the above persons I have had 
satisfactory conversations with on previous 
occasions. 

January 13. — Early this morning we 
began making preparations to start for 
another village, but we could not get started 
till w ? e had conversed for a while longer with 
the inquirers, who had many parting ques- 
tions to ask. Some of them came along 
with us two miles, begging us that we would 
send a teacher among them ; and two of them 
came up with us to Dooge, five miles, and 
spent a part of the day with us. In this 



106 



APPENDIX. 



village we spent the heat of the day in a 
small shed, opened on one side and covered 
with straw. When we started, towards 
evening, to go to the next village, where we 
were to spend the night, we were followed 
some distance by four of the worst looking 
men that I ever saw, who demanded money 
from us, declaring in the most positive man- 
ner that they had done some work for us. 
Had there not been some active persons 
connected with the government service to 
beat them off, it is probable that they would 
have resorted to violence, as they were evi- 
dently maddened by the intoxicating draught. 

JanuapvY 15-18. — JYensarowpett. Late on 
Saturday evening we arrived at this village, 
and intended on the following Monday to 
hasten into Guntoor, as we had heard of the 
severe illness of Mrs. Beer. But on our 
arrival here we had more favorable accounts 
from home, which induced us to protract our 
stay, especially as there were a larg^ number 
of persons collected from many villages 
around to transact their business with Mr. 
Newill, the head assistant collector. But 



APPENDIX. 



107 



instead of finding attentive listeners, as we 
had frequently before, \ve met in some in- 
stances with fierce disputes, and in most 
other cases our hearers were so engrossed 
with their worldly business, that it was diffi- 
cult to get their attention while we endea- 
vored to set before them spiritual and eternal 
things. A good number of tracts were how- 
ever distributed, and we trust that they may 
be read and pondered in their homes by those 
who received them. 

On the evening of the 19th we returned 
to Guntoor. During my tour in the district 
I was much of the time unwell, and my notes 
were very scanty. I intended after returning 
home to write out a full account immediately, 
and forward it to the secretary. But instead 
of that, I was suddenly laid low upon a bed 
of illness, the effects of which I feel in some 
measure at this moment. I had two attacks 
of fever in the month of April, which reduced 
the strength that I had previously gained to 
a considerable extent. Though a change to 
a cooler climate has been proposed by our 
physician, I trust it will be unnecessary. But 
9* 



108 



APPENDIX. 



the future is known only to the Lord. The 
weather is at present very trying to me, but 
I look forward to the rainy season which will 
commence next month, when I hope I may 
be restored to my usual strength. My wife 
and children are, through the Lord's mercy, 
enjoying comfortable health. 

Brother Heyer arrived at Madras on the 
16th of April, and embarked on board of a 
vessel bound for Mesulipatam on the 29th, 
and has probably reached that port ere this. 
I shall hope to see him at my home some 
time next week. 

Yours in the bonds of the gospel, 

W. GUNN. 

Guntoor, May 5, 1848. 

September 13, 1848. — For several months 
my health has been such that it has been 
necessary to lay aside public preaching in 
the streets; but thanks be to God for giving 
me strength to commence it again. This 
afternoon went into a part of the town occu- 
pied by goldsmiths and merchants. After 
commencing my conversation with the 



APPENDIX. 



109 



people, I was annoyed by a person who 
has some knowledge of English, and who 
commenced talking in that language; but 1 
answered his questions in Telugu, and told 
him in the presence of the others, that as he 
understood but little English, he had better 
talk in his own language. This course of 
treatment was so different from what he 
expected, that he soon left me, with a little 
less self-conceit, probably, than he brought 
with him. I then took my seat upon a stone, 
with thirty or more persons in semi-circular 
form seated around me, and read and ex- 
plained the parable of the rich man and 
Lazarus to them. In the midst of my dis- 
course, a goldsmith came into my audience 
suddenly, and in a very angry manner asked 
some of his associates what they were doing 
there, and having seized one of them by the 
shoulders and scolded the others, he started 
them away from the place. The agitation, 
however, attracted the attention of others, so 
that the original number was immediately 
made good, and I went on with the delivery 
of my message. Some paid a good degree 



110 



APPENDIX. 



of attention, others were disposed to be dis- 
putatious. 

September 14. — A Brahmin said to me 
this afternoon that he was without sin, but 
after explaining to him the character of the 
true God and the nature of sin, he confessed 
that he was a sinner, and I then had an op- 
portunity of preaching Christ to him as the 
sinner's only refuge. But there was such a 
dreadful carelessness and stupidity manifested 
by him, as showed that his heart was not at 
all affected by what he confessed with his 
mouth. 

Another man asked why Jesus Christ be- 
came incarnate? I was glad to hear such a 
question, as it gave me an opportunity of 
unfolding to my hearers the amazing love 
of Christ in taking upon himself our nature, 
and suffering and dying for poor sinners. I 
left some tracts with those w r ho could read, 
to preach silently to them after my departure. 
May they preach effectually. 

September 19. — Preached the gospel this 
afternoon to a congregation of Pariahs, who 
behaved towards me with much respect, and 



APPENDIX. 



Ill 



listened attentively to the word of God for 
an hour. I commenced speaking in the street, 
but I asked if there was not a place where I 
could sit down, and one of the men invited 
me immediately to come to his house, and 
having swept the loose dust off from a mud 
platform, he spread a clean cloth upon it; 
on this he requested me to sit down, and I 
read and explained the parable of the Pha- 
risee and Publican. During the exercise, 
many questions connected with the subject 
were asked and answered, and I left the place 
thankful to God for having directed my steps 
thither. This class of people are generally 
poor and despised; but they are in a great 
measure free from a host of prejudices that 
possess the minds of many of the other 
classes of Hindoos, so that there is great 
encouragement to labor for their good. 

September 20. — Had a very unsatisfactory 
interview this afternoon with a large number 
of disputatious Brahmins. It was in vain for 
me to attempt to speak in connected manner 
to them, as there was often four or five speak- 
ing at once, in the most clamorous manner 



112 



APPENDIX. 



One of the Brahmins, after acknowledging 
that there is hut one God, attempted to defend 
the worship of inferior divinities, in the 
following manner: There is a king in Europe 
who has under him a large number of de- 
pendencies, and to manage the affairs of his 
kingdom a large number of inferior officers 
are appointed. These aid in carrying into 
effect the designs of the king, and respect 
must be paid to them in their different loca- 
lities as well as to the king. Thus God in 
the government of the world employs his 
assistants, and to them worship must be paid. 
This is, I believe, a favorite argument among 
many of the Hindoos in favor of idol wor- 
ship. In few words I informed the people, 
whose attention I was able to gain, the folly 
of comparing the Almighty and Omnipresent 
God with ignorant, feeble men. Kings like 
ourselves, can be only in one place at a time, 
and are subject to weakness, sickness and 
death; but God is everywhere present, and 
possessed of almighty power and infinite 
wisdom, and needs not the assistance of 
inferior gods in governing the world, and 



APPENDIX. 



113 



has declared his hatred of those who forsake 
him, and worship false gods. How true are 
the words of the Psalmist with reference to 
this idolatrous people : " Thou thoughtest 
that I was altogether such an one as thyself." 
I left this scene of confusion more deeply 
impressed than before, that it is not by might 
nor power, but by the spirit of the Lord that 
his work is to be carried forward among such 
unreasonable men. It is for us to prophesy 
over these dry bones, however useless the 
work may appear to human reason. 

September 27. — This morning we had an 
examination of our Telugu schools, on the 
verandah of my house, and several of our 
English friends encouraged us by their pre- 
sence, as they did at the examination of our 
English school a short time previous. A 
portion of the report read on the occasion, I 
transcribe for the benefit of the readers of the 
Observer. 

It is due to the friends and supporters of 
our schools to present to them from time to 
time, an abstract of our operations in this 
department of our labor, that they may rejoict 



114 APPENDIX. 

with us at any success we may have, and 
sympathize with us in our difficulties. 

The following is submitted at the present 
time: 

1. In our Telugu boys' school, in the 
Mission Compound, there are 52 scholars. 
Among these, 25 are Shoodrahs ; 12 are 
Pariahs ; 5 are Musselmen ; 6 are Roman 
Catholics; and 4 are sons of Protestant pa- 
rents. In this school the New Testament is 
read, and portions of it committed to memory 
daily. The first and second parts of the Peep 
of Day are also used as reading books. 
Suitable Telugu tracts are also introduced 
after the scholars are able to read sufficiently 
well in elementary books. The first class is 
engaged in studying geography, writing, and 
the first elements of arithmetic, according to 
the Telugu mode, are also taught. 

2. There are at present in the girls 5 school, 
28 scholars. Of these, 12 are Shoodrahs ; 9 
are Pariahs; 4 are Roman Catholics; 1 is a 
Mohammedan girl ; and 2 are children of 
Protestant parents. With but one or two 
exceptions the same Telugu studies are pur- 



APPENDIX. 



115 



sued in this as in the boys' school. The 
scholars of the first and second classes of this 
school are also studying English, though 
from a variety of causes their progress in it 
is slow. 

We regret that several of the most 
advanced scholars of this school have lately 
left, and will probably return no more. 

3. The scholars of the old Guntoor school 
are all Pariahs, and on account of the poverty 
of their parents and other causes, their num- 
ber has varied considerably, at different 
times. At present there are 16 boys that 
attend with some good degree of regularity. 
Stephen, one of our native converts, is the 
teacher of this school. His wife Rebecca, 
who w T as recently baptized, is able to read 
well, and has lately gathered twelve little 
girls around her, and these are busily engaged 
in learning their letters. What will grow 
out of this effort remains yet to be seen. The 
experiment is cheap, and must be tried, 
and if God smile upon the attempt it will 
prosper. 

4. Though the examination of the English 

10 



116 APPENDIX. 

school has passed, it may be proper to say a 
few words concerning it. The number of 
scholars at present on the list is 25. Of 
these, 2 are Brahmins ; 17 are Shoodrahs; 
2 are Musselmen; 1 is a Pariah; 2 are East 
Indians; and one is the son of a native Pro- 
testant. The school is divided into three 
classes. Besides the simplest elements of 
instruction, the following are studied in this 
school : the Scriptures, (which have the 
prominent place) History of England; Lu- 
ther's Catechism; Geometry; Geography; 
Grammar; Arithmetic; and translations from 
English into Telugu, and vice versa. All 
are instructed in writing English. 

The whole number of scholars connected 
with our four schools is at present 133, and 
besides the instruction imparted by the mis- 
sionaries, seven teachers are employed the 
whole or a part of the time in teaching. 

The monthly expenses for sustaining these 
schools is from 60 to 65 rupees, exclusive of 
what is paid for books. We receive 36 
rupees each month from the Guntoor school 
fund, contributed by our friends at the sta- 



APPENDIX. 



117 



tion. The balance is supplied by our friends 
in America. 

Some of our friends in Guntoor have kindly 
sent us money at different times, for the 
benefit of our girls' school. This money is 
expended exclusively for the purchase of 
clothing for the girls. Of money contributed 
for this purpose now in our charge, we have 
24 rupees 3 annas. 

In looking at this department of our mis- 
sionary labor, there is much that is discour- 
aging to the eye of sense. Of those that 
come under our influence, most of them leave 
us before we can bring the truth fully to bear 
upon their minds, and they go away to mix 
w T ith the careless idolatrous people around 
them, and with them to engage in their 
wickedness. But to the eye of faith there 
is encouragement, and encouragement that 
should lead us to persevere, and double our 
diligence. The truth which these scholars 
commit to memory from day to day, and 
which is frequently explained and enforced, 
is the truth of God — the good seed of the 
word, and though we may not see immediate 



118 



APPENDIX. 



results such as we wish, yet a blessing will 
follow after many days. For the generous 
aid that has been afforded us by our friends 
in Guntoor, in carrying on this department 
of our operations in times past, we tender 
our cordial thanks; and we trust that none 
of us will become weary in well doing, while 
so much remains to be done. 

One of our supporters, who was present 
at the examination, and who has contributed 
more than sixteen hundred rupees for the 
benefit of our schools during the last six 
years, exclusive of all other contributions, 
showed that he was not weary in well doing 
by giving his promise that he would send a 
donation for purchasing clothing for some of 
the poorer scholars of the schools : and I 
would remark that he is one who is not 
accustomed to break his promise. 

October 9. — We have just passed through 
the din and bustle and wickedness of another 
heathen festival of ten days continuance; and 
the Mohammedans are now making their pre- 
parations to engage in one that will continue 
the same length of time. Crowds of poor 



APPENDIX. 



119 



bewildered men gather together on these 
occasions, but such is the frenzy with 
which they are filled that it seems of but 
little use to attempt to preach the gospel to 
them. 

October 12. — In addressing a group of 
persons this afternoon, I was beset by a crafty 
Brahmin, who was determined to usurp the 
principal part of the conversation, and I was 
reminded of the case of Elymas the sorcerer 
as he stood before me, though there was no 
one present that seemed to correspond to 
Sergius Paulus, Acts xiii, 6-9. Without the 
least shame, he declared in the presence of 
all, that virtue and vice were one; that there 
was no difference between sin and holiness, 
or heaven and hell; that whatever men did, 
they were impelled to do it by God himself, 
so that there was no sin in men, or responsi- 
bility connected with their conduct. It was 
painful to listen to the blasphemies of such a 
wicked wretch, and to reflect how gratifying 
it was to most of those who heard him, that 
they could do as they pleased, without feel- 
ing any sense of accountability to the God of 
10* 



120 



APPENDIX. 



heaven and earth. After getting his atten- 
tion, I asked, why do you speak these vain, 
wicked w r ords ? There is a God of perfect 
holiness, justice and truth. He is our Crea- 
tor and Preserver, and he has given us just 
and suitable laws for the regulation of our 
conduct, and all having broken these laws, 
are consequently sinners in his sight. 
' What!' he answered, 'do you say that all 
men are sinners V ' Yes,' I replied, ' all, 
without exception.' He then took hold of a 
brother Brahmin, and brought him up before 
me, and said, ' do you think this man is a 
sinner V ' Certainly, whatever he may think 
of his works of merit, he is a sinner.' 'How?' 
he asked. ' God has said, thou shalt not 
steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. 
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 
He has expressed most strongly his abhor- 
rence of idolatry, and yet, you are all accus- 
tomed to break some or all of these laws 
continually, and are consequently sinners in 
his sight' 'What! idolatry sin?' 'Yes, 
and on account of it the displeasure of God 
rests upon you. You have forsaken the God, 



APPENDIX. 



121 



who every moment preserves you, and you 
pay your adorations to gods of wood and 
stone. * Show us God, show us God/ was 
then the cry, 6 and we will worship him.' 
This is the language of the people every 
where we go. * We can not see God, there- 
fore we must have gods made for us and 
worship them. 5 The discussion lasted about 
one hour, Nicodemus and I on one side, 
and the Brahmin and his associates on 
the other, and more than a hundred listeners 
of different classes. I went from the spot 
deeply impressed with the thought, that if 
God work not with us, our work will be in 
vain. If the Lord be w T ith us, such onsets 
shall not terrify us. They will lead us to 
the Strong for strength, and in his strength 
we shall gain victories. ' Lo 3 I am with 
you V is a promise full of the richest comfort 
and consolation under such circumstances. 

October 13. — Went this afternoon among 
some poor weavers, but only a few came to 
hear my message. Very particular pains 
were taken, however, to bring forward a 
withered old man probably 90 years of age, 



122 



APPENDIX. 



to show him to me, and try to induce me to 
give him some money for his support. One 
man took hold of his face with both hands, 
and opened his jaws to convince me, that he 
had no teeth. I gave the people no encour- 
agement to expect any temporal support 
from me, as I had no reason to believe that 
he was suffering for the want of it. It was 
painful to look upon the old grey headed 
man who had lived in entire ignorance about 
the interests of his soul and eternity up to 
this moment, and now in his dotage entirely 
uninterested in every thing except that which 
pertained to his frail body. 

October 16. — A missionary in India, in 
order to accomplish much, must labor to 
gather up all the fragments of time and turn 
them to the best account. He may often 
prescribe rules for himself, but they will 
have to be modified, as circumstances require. 
This morning I set apart an hour for writing, 
but I had only written a few lines when the 
Brahmin that I met on the 12th, and a mer- 
chant called upon me, so that the pen was 
laid aside, and the hour spent in conversa- 



APPENDIX 



123 



tion with them. This merchant has for years 
been trying to raise funds to enable him to 
erect a large building, for the accommodation 
of pilgrims and others ; hoping thereby to 
obtain a great store of merit for himself. To 
effect his purpose, he has been sending com- 
munications to government collectors and 
missionaries. Twice he has sent his package 
of documents to me, begging that I would 
assist him in furthering his object. Though 
he has not yet succeeded in accomplishing 
anything, he seems to be not in the least 
discouraged, but goes on pleading his cause 
with the greatest earnestness. 

Our discussion turned upon the ways by 
which we may know something of the mind 
and will of God. The merchant said, 'you 
know something about God; I do not. 5 The 
conclusion that he wished to establish from 
this was, that he was not responsible for any 
of his conduct. ' But if 1 should say that 
you knew nothing about God, you would be 
offended with me. 5 ' No, I should not. 5 
* But do you really mean what you say ? 
Who made this house V ' Men. 5 ' Did men 



124 



APPENDIX. 



make the sun, moon, stars, the world ?' 'No, 
God/ < Who preserves all?' < God. 5 'By 
the works that you see around you, then, you 
can understand something of the power, the 
wisdom and the goodness of God.' ' True/ 
' But I have the word of God which inspired 
men wrote, and from this we can learn much 
more than is taught us by the works of crea- 
tion. In this word all important things that 
pertain to our spiritual interests are clearly 
taught, and if you are ignorant of God, as 
you confess you are, you may now T begin to 
learn about him from his own word that I 
make known to you.' The design of my 
hearers was not, however, to search after 
truth, but to cavil and discuss curious ques- 
tions. 

October 25. — This afternoon went to the 
European burying ground, and met an East 
Indian, a Roman Catholic. He was indis- 
posed to converse with me at first, but kind- 
ness removed his fears, and he opened his 
mind freely. He told me that his father was, 
nominally, a Protestant, but never prayed in 
his family, or gave his children any religious 



APPENDIX. 



125 



instruction. He attended one of the mission 
schools of Rhenius, when he was six years 
old, and some years afterwards became a 
Roman Catholic. I asked him if he ever 
had any trouble. He at first said ' no/ but 
when I referred him to his feelings in times 
of sickness, he confessed that his mind was 
far from being at peace. When I referred 
him to the hour of coming sickness and 
death, which would soon overtake him, he 
replied, that he must bear what was laid 
upon him; there was no other way. I spoke 
to him then of Jesus, who had suffered and 
died for him, and that through him pardon 
of sin could be obtained, so that even in the 
hour of death he could have peace and joy. 
His heart seemed to relent as I spoke to him 
of the love of Christ, and when I left him he 
appeared thankful that I had spoken with 
him. I invited him to call at my house in 
the evening, and took my leave of him, 
thankful that I had had an opportunity of 
addressing my fellow traveller to eternity 
under such favorable circumstances. 

October 26. — This morning the Roman 



126 



APPENDIX. 



Catholic called upon me and thankfully 
accepted a New Testament, a little book 
called the True Cross, and a few tracts. 
After directing his attention to a few pass- 
ages of scripture, he went on his journey : I 
shall probably not see him again in this life, 
but may our short interview with each other 
be productive of lasting good. 

This afternoon a native that I met yester- 
day, came to my house bringing with him a 
part of the Telugu New Testament, translated 
by one of the missionaries of the London 
Missionary Society, named Putchet, and 
printed in 1818. It belonged to his grand- 
father, who received it some years ago in 
Rajamundry. I was glad to find it in so 
good a state of preservation, but was grieved 
to learn that the words of eternal life that it 
contained had been productive of so little 
good. On asking him if the book was ever 
read, he answered, 6 yes, sometimes.' When 
asked if he understood anything that he read, 
his answer was, 6 How can I, unless some one 
explain it to me V The same answer that 
the Eunuch gave to Philip, nearly. Acts 



APPENDIX. 127 

viii, 27-32. The answer given should be 
deeply pondered by all who profess to be 
Christians. It is of great importance to 
scatter the word of God, but unless that word 
is explained by the living voice, we need not 
expect great results to follow. How is it 
possible that they should follow, without a 
miracle. Those who have been brought up 
from their infancy under the means of grace 
can hardly realize the difficulty. I read in 
the presence of this young man a verse from 
the third chapter of John, 6 For as Moses 
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness/ &c. 
Of Moses, he knew nothing; of the passage 
of the Israelites through the wilderness, and 
their being bitten by fiery serpents, he knew 
nothing; so that this and the other verses in 
connection with it would be perfectly unin- 
telligible to him, without the living voice to 
explain and enforce the truth. The wisdom 
of the Saviour therefore appears clearly in 
his command: 6 Preach the gospel to every 
creature.' Those who have been made 
acquainted with the saving truths of God's 
word, are to go forth with the scriptures in 
11 



128 



APPENDIX. 



their hands, and unfold its gracious messages 
to the heathen, ceasing not in any place to 
teach and preach Jesus Christ. 

November 1. — Went this afternoon to a 
large well, probably 60 feet deep. A flight 
of steps goes from the surface of the ground 
to the bottom of it; and many persons were 
descending into it for water. The females 
carried their large earthen chatties (pots) on 
their shoulders, or heads. While I was 
looking over the wall into the well, several 
persons came near, to whom Nicodemus 
began to speak. In a short time more than 
one hundred persons had gathered around us, 
including Brahmins, Shooders, Mohamedans, 
and Pariahs. One poor man among them 
became very animated in conversation, de- 
claring that there must be more than one 
God, or there would not be such a vast differ- 
ence among men, some rich and others poor, 
some rolling in luxury, and others pining for 
the very necessaries of life. Nicodemus 
asked him if the same sun did not shine upon 
the palace and the dunghill? Persons of this 
class seldom seem to think of God, except 



APPENDIX. 



129 



in connection with their wants. If their food 
is scanty, no matter whether by their abomi- 
nable wickedness or not, they say their God 
is very careless about their interests, and 
conclude that he is very different from the 
God that provides for the rich. 

Another man was much stumbled at the 
doctrine of Jesus Christ being called the 
Son of God, and exercising the power of 
God. He thought that there must be tw r o 
Gods, if that was the case. I told him we 
could not, with our limited faculties, under- 
stand how it was that Father, Son and Holy 
Ghost were one, but it was a truth revealed 
to us in the word of God, and we must receive 
it. I referred him then to his own person : 
'Have you a body? 5 'Yes.' 'A soul?' 
'Yes.' 'Are the two united?' 'Yes.' 'How?' 
He began to give an indefinite answer, but 
I said To the 'point. c Can you tell me how 
your soul and body are united?' 'No.' 
' Then do not consider it strange that you 
can not understand the mode of God's exist- 
ence, nor cavil at the truth that is revealed 
to you.' When we consider the number of 



130 



APPENDIX. 



intelligent men in Christian lands, that reject 
the doctrine of God manifest in the flesh, it 
need not appear astonishing that some of the 
heathen stumble at it. The doctrine must, 
however, hold a prominent place in the 
teachings of the minister, at home and 
among the heathen, for if Christ is not the 
person that he is represented to be in the 
New Testament, then no atonement has been 
made for the sinner, and he is left without 
hope. 

November 2. — Went to the same place 
again this afternoon. Nicodemus said he 
thought we should be without a congrega- 
tion, as we stood by the well some minutes 
before any one came near us; but two persons 
came up with whom we commenced conver- 
sation, and then two more, and the people 
came flocking around us by scores. Some 
crafty Brahmins were anxious to draw me 
into controversy, but after making several 
fruitless attempts they left the ground to be 
occupied by others. Nicodemus then had 
a dispute with the merchant of whom men- 
tion has been made. I then said that I had 



APPENDIX. 



131 



something to say, if the people would pay- 
attention. All became quiet immediately, 
and I proceeded to read a portion of a tract, 
and comment upon it. Two or three times 
the merchant requested permission to speak 
a few words, but I told him I had listened 
to his conversation for some time, and now 
it was my turn to speak, and he must listen. 
For a good length of time I addressed my 
audience, and as strict attention was paid to 
my message as is paid by a Christian congre- 
gation at home. I stopped, and was about 
going away, but something was said that 
induced me to commence again, and I con- 
tinued speaking till dark. I was thankful to 
God for the opportunity, as I was enabled to 
present some of the most important truths of 
the scriptures to the people, under very favor- 
able circumstances, and enforce them. 

November 8. — Left Guntoor this morning 
for Jovalayuda, a village six miles distant. 
The morning was cool and delightful, and 
the fields of grain on each side of the path 
promising an abundant harvest, bespoke the 
goodness of God to this idolatrous people. 



132 



APPENDIX. 



A pair of bullocks and cart accompanied me 
but I left them a long distance behind. Four 
miles distant from Guntoor, is a village 
called Gorentla. When I arrived at this 
village, I was tired by my walk, and sat 
down upon a stone in the street, and com- 
menced reading a Telugu tract, and soon had 
twenty or more persons around me, to whom 
I read and spoke by turns. They listened 
attentively to the w r ords of truth, and mani- 
fested the utmost respect towards me. Close 
by Jovalayuda is a beautiful tamarind tope 
(grove.) In this I stopped, and my bullock 
cart was my house during the heat of the 
day. Curiosity drew some of the people of 
the village around me on my arrival, and I 
endeavored to direct their attention to spirit- 
ual things, but most of them seemed to be 
extremely dull of comprehension, and one of 
them, after a few moments, said, c If I stop 
to hear your words, how can I get my rice V 
After saying this, he started off, and most of 
the others followed him. This seemed to 
me a most discouraging beginning, but on 
looking around I saw a woman who appeared 



APPENDIX. 



133 



interested, and I addressed her for a few mo- 
ments, remembering that the Master whom I 
serve did not hesitate to engage in a long 
conversation with the woman of Samaria. I 
afterwards walked up and down some of the 
streets of the village, speaking to here and 
there a person, as I passed, and the woman 
spoken of walked a short distance behind me, 
saying to those who came to gaze at me, 
that this was the teacher who had come to 
instruct the people. When I returned to the 
tope, I was accompanied by a goodly number 
of persons, and I sat down under the shade 
of a large tamarind tree, and talked in a 
familiar manner with my unlettered hearers, 
about sin and the Saviour, till I became 
w r earied, and then my catechist continued the 1 
conversation for some time longer. Before 
leaving the village, I went into that part of 
it that is occupied by the Pariahs. A crowd 
at once gathered around me, and all listened 
attentively to my discourse to them. Poor 
ignorant creatures, some of them called me a 
great king, and one of them went so far as 
to say that I was a God. On my way back 



134 



APPENDIX. 



to Guntoor, I passed through a hamlet in 
which I found a poor man who had received 
the gospel of John from me at one of the 
festivals, two years ago. He did not seem 
to have been much profited by it, though he 
had read portions of it from time to time. I 
read and explained a part of the first chapter 
to him and his neighbors, before leaving them. 

November 9. — Visited the school kept by 
Stephen, this afternoon, and was pleased to 
find two men there who had come sixteen 
miles to have the opportunity of learning to 
read. They had learned their letters by the 
assistance of a lady who had attended 
Stephen's school. They brought with them 
four rupees, and they intend to stay till that 
sum is expended, and then earn more, and 
thus work and go to school by turns. There 
is so much fickleness in the Hindoo mind, 
that we can not place much reliance upon 
their present good intentions. Yet the cir- 
cumstance is encouraging from the fact that 
they have come that distance and placed 
themselves under a Christian teacher, and 
will daily hear the word of life. 



APPENDIX. 



135 



November 10. — Went this morning to 
Palcaloor, six miles from Guntoor, and con- 
taining between six and seven hundred 
people. Being wearied with my journey 
over a rough road, I found it necessary to 
take some rest and refreshment, before speak- 
ing to the people. Nicodemus, however, 
commenced conversation with those who 
gathered around. One of the farmers present 
was very talkative, and was disposed to 
question whatever the catechist said. Though 
I w T as a little distance off, I could hear what 
was spoken on both sides. The farmer said 
that 6 he was a God; that he caused it to 
rain, and caused the grain to grow,' &c. 
After listening to such talk, I thought it 
might be a useless thing to attempt to do 
anything among the people, but after looking 
up first to the Lord, and then to my Telugu 
Testament, I went among the people, and 
told them if they would give me their atten- 
tion, I would relate to them some of the 
truths of the Christian religion, which I had 
come to publish among the Telugu people. 
My audience, which was composed of some 



136 



APPENDIX. 



twenty-five or thirty adult persons, listened 
attentively while I related to them the account 
of the creation, the fall, the natural condition 
of man, his exposure to eternal wrath, and 
the salvation that is to be found in Christ 
Jesus alone. Those from whom I expected 
to meet vigorous opposition, were attentive, 
so that my fears were happily not realized. 
During the day some of the people had many 
questions to ask concerning the productions 
of my country, and the manners and customs 
of the people, and listened with great eager- 
ness while I answered their questions. 

November 13. — After speaking to a few 
persons in Reddapallum this morning, two 
miles from Guntoor, I started on my w r ay 
homeward, when I met a woman and five 
children going to present their offering to 
Polarama, the village goddess. One child 
had in her hand a box of turmirick, and an- 
other some saffron, another some cow dung, 
another some fire, and another some flowers. 
The woman had a pot of boiled rice. Having 
first asked the woman a few questions, I went 
to the spot to see her perform her devotions 



APPENDIX. 



137 



A few rough unhewn stones were placed 
together, so as to form a little room, open on 
one side, the other three sides and the top 
being covered; in the inside of this little 
enclosure three little flat stones were set up 
on their ends, and the woman in the first 
place took her cow dung and rubbed it on 
the ground in front of these stones, afterwards 
shfc took water and washed the stones, then 
rubbed some saffron and turmirick upon them, 
then clasping her hands together, she bowed 
several times to the stones, the little children 
following her example. She afterward 
placed a small quantity of rice before the 
stones, and distributed the remainder among 
the children. Afterwards some incense was 
burned. She scattering the flowers around, 
closed the ceremony. I spoke to her of the 
sin of idolatry, and the duty of worshiping 
the God of Heaven and earth, but she heeded 
not my words. I asked her why she performed 
these ceremonies? She answered ' to secure 
the health of my children.' My heart was 
much affected to see these little children join- 
ing their hands together and paying their 



138 APPENDIX. 

adorations to these shapeless stones. Should 
not the conduct of this heathen mother re- 
prove the carelessness of many professedly 
Christian mothers at home, who seldom, or 
never, direct the attention of their children 
to Jesus, the great physician of souls ? Let 
mothers who may read these lines, think of 
this. 

November 16-18. — Went to the Pralti- 
pand on Thursday morning, a place that I 
visited last year, and intended to visit some 
of the people again in the vicinity. But the 
rain poured down in torrents, so that I had 
an opportunity of doing but little in the way 
of preaching the gospel during these three 
days. 

November 20.- — Went to Stephen's school 
this afternoon, and addressed the scholars and 
others that came together, from John iii, 3 : 
i Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, 
verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born 
again he can not see the kingdom of God. 5 
That our friends may understand something 
of the manner in which w r e attempt to impress 
divine truths upon the minds of our hearers 



APPENDIX. 



139 



on such occasions, I will give an abstract of 
my conversation discourse this afternoon. I 
began by asking, ' What kind of a place is 
Heaven? 5 One boy answered, 6 A very beau- 
tiful place.' 6 Is that all? You know there 
are some places that are very beautiful, but 
are dangerous to those who go to them. Some 
men appear very well outwardly, but yet 
they are very wicked.' Another boy then 
said, ' Heaven is a holy place.' 6 Yes, that 
is the important thing. Christ is holy, the 
angels are holy, and all the men and women 
and children that have ever entered there are 
holy, and none but such can enter there. But 
what kind of hearts have men by nature?' 
Several voices at once, 6 wicked hearts.' 
' True, and therefore Jesus Christ has said, 
except a man be born again, he can not see 
the kingdom of God — that is, he can not enter 
Heaven. But suppose that wicked people 
and good people should go together into that 
holy place, what then ?' Silence. ' But 
suppose tigers, and wolves, and bears, and 
cows, and sheep, and goats, and fowls, and 
kites should be brought together into this 
12 



140 



APPENDIX 



room, and shut up, what would happen V 
' They would fight and destroy each other/ 
' Why?' 6 Evidently because their natures 
are so different.' 6 How then can holy men 
and angels, and the Saviour, dwell in the 
same place with wicked, ungodly men V 
' They can not dwell together,' from several 
voices. ? If a wicked man then ever enters 
heaven, he must be changed — his heart must 
be made holy. But how can a wicked heart 
be changed?' 6 By the Holy Spirit.' f Can 
we see the Holy Spirit V 6 No.' 6 Can we 
see the effects of the Holy Spirit?' Silence. 
* Can we see the wind V ' No.' ' Can we 
see the effects of it?' < Yes.' < How?' < If 
it is a hard wind, houses are blown down, 
limbs are broken from trees, and men are 
killed.' ' Who was Paul V 'An apostle, 
and a very good man.' 6 But once he was a 
very wicked man, and was going to the city 
of Damascus to catch Christians and put 
them in prison, and kill them. Well, he did 
go to Damascus, but instead of trying to 
catch the Christians and persecute them as 
he had done before, he began to preach the 



APPENDIX. 



141 



gospel, and was perfectly kind to every one 
that loved Christ. Did any one see the 
Spirit that changed his heart? 5 'No. 5 'But 
all, both friends and enemies, could see the 
effects of the Spirit of God in him and his 
conduct. So it is now. Many who were 
once very wicked, have had their hearts 
changed by the Spirit of God, and it appears 
in their conduct. Such can enter Heaven. 
If you wish to enter that beautiful, holy, 
happy place, pray that the Holy Spirit may 
change your hearts. 5 

December 1. — In my preaching in the 
town this afternoon, I met with a determined 
opposition from several Brahmins, w ho spoke 
by turns. One of them, with some apparent 
candor, asked me to explain what kind of a 
being God is. When I began to speak of 
him as a God of perfect holiness, truth, jus- 
tice, &c, I was interrupted, and one declared 
without the least shame that God was the 
author of sin, and that the works of men, 
however abominable they may be, are the 
works of God. One of the Brahmins present 
had heard much of the truth from the lips of 



142 



APPENDIX. 



the missionaries in Masulipatam, but he had 
heard it only to despise it, and turn it into 
ridicule. The efforts that were made this 
afternoon by the heathen to drown the voice 
of the missionary, show that they greatly fear 
the entrance of the gospel among them, and 
they can not remain at ease while the truth 
is making silent progress among the people. 

December 8. — Addressed a large number 
of persons this afternoon in Chabreul. I 
placed a tract in the hand of a Brahmin, 
called the gospel of Jesus Christ, and as he 
read I explained the important truths con- 
tained in the tract. Now and then the Brah- 
min would start objections. These I answered 
in as few words as possible, and then set him 
reading again. By pursuing this course, I 
warded off a dispute for some time, and had 
thus an opportunity of bringing clearly be- 
fore the minds of my hearers, some of the 
most important truths of the gospel. After 
my address, I distributed about twenty tracts 
among those who could read, and felt grateful 
to God that I had had so favorable an oppor- 
tunity for delivering my message. 



APPENDIX. 143 

December 12. — Went this morning to 
Mootloor, a village that contains about one 
hundred Roman Catholics. A chapel is 
here, and a priest visits the place once in two 
or four weeks. I addressed an assembly of 
Romanists for some time from a portion of 
the 3d chapter of John. After speaking to 
them, Nicodemus read a part of the 115th 
Psalm. One of the Catholics then said, 
1 Yes, the idols of the heathen are useless, 
they can render no assistance to those who 
worship them. 5 But I said, 6 Have you not 
idols in your chapel V 6 No,' he replied. 
g Let me see/ I answered. One went to get 
the key, but he soon came back without it, 
saying, 1 the man who kept the key had gone 
to the field.' It is painful to think how these 
poor people are imposed upon. They give 
up the w r orship of the idols of the heathen to 
some extent, and take up other idols, to which 
they offer devotions, and are deceived with 
the idea that they are Christians, while in 
most respects there is very little difference 
between them and the idolaters around them. 
The heathen are constantly accusing me of 
12* 



144 



APPENDIX. 



worshiping idols, supposing that I am a 
Roman Catholic — that is, in those places 
that I visit for the first time. The reading 
and explanation of the first and second com- 
mandments, however, show them that there 
is a mighty difference between Romanism 
and the religion that we publish on this 
point. 

December 14. — Went out into the village 
of Veltapollam this morning. This village 
is about forty miles from Guntoor, has a 
large population, many of whom are weavers, 
in comfortable worldly circumstances, and 
able to read. After walking through some 
of the streets, I stopped in a favorable place 
and commenced reading a tract, 6 In whom 
shall we trust V and explaining it to the 
large crowd that gathered around me. Good 
attention was paid for some time to what I 
said, but when I commenced giving away 
tracts, the confusion became great. It was 
in vain that I assured the people that I would 
supply each reader with a tract, and that 
there was no need of such scrambling. Each 
person wanted one from the stock that I had 



APPENDIX. 



145 



with me. I had about thirty in my hand, 
and when I attempted to place a tract in one 
man's hand, twenty others stretched out their 
hands to get it. I distributed my supply as 
judiciously as I could, but it was by no means 
equal to the demand. After they saw I had 
no more to give, the people became quiet 
again, and listened to another address that I 
gave them connected with the interests of 
their souls. When I reached my lodging 
place, I found myself surrounded by sixty or 
seventy persons, among whom I distributed 
tracts, and to whom I addressed the word of 
God, till I became wearied in my work 
though not of it. 

December 15-18. — These have been busy 
days with me. Early in the morning it has 
been my practice to go into the town and 
preach to large numbers, who have flocked 
together to hear me; then I have distributed 
tracts to those who could read, and returned 
to the Bungalow and spoken the word of 
God to those who came to me from time to 
time during the day. The verandah has been 
nearly filled with people several times, who 



146 



APPENDIX. 



have listened with much apparant interest to 
the strange things that have been spoken. 
The past five days have been in some re- 
spects the most interesting days that I have 
spent among the heathen. It is a great pri- 
vilege to sit down in the midst of a large 
group of heathen, and read and explain in 
their own tongue, the momentous doctrines 
of the New Testament, and answer the ques- 
tions that arise out of the subjects brought to 
their view. Much respect has been paid to 
me and my message as a general thing. Yet 
there have been exceptions. A Brahmin 
commenced a fierce attack upon Christianity 
one morning, as I was addressing a large 
audience in the town. He felt doubtless 
that his craft was in danger, and he encoun- 
tered me, I suppose, with as much fury as 
the Epicureans and Stoics did Paul on a 
certain occasion. It was in vain to attempt 
to answer all his foolish questions, as he was 
determined to give me no opportunity to 
speak, unless I could bellow louder than he, 
which was impossible, and besides, he was 
resolved to deny every word that I said. I 



APPENDIX. 



147 



kept my temper, therefore as well as I could, 
and contented myself with asking him some 
questions, and reminding him of his folly. 
His questions related principally to the in- 
carnation and miracles of God, against whom 
he manifested the most bitter enmity. After 
making some efforts to create a disturbance, 
he departed, leaving me in possession of the 
ground, and I quietly went on with my con- 
versation. 

On another occasion, as I was sitting in 
my chair on the verandah, speaking to a large 
number of people, a large person stood near 
who seemed disposed to turn into ridicule 
what I said, and to turn the feelings of the 
people against me, and he appeared to be 
succeeding effectually. It was necessary, 
therefore, to arrest the current, if possible. 
6 Yes, yes, 5 he said, nodding his head sig- 
nificantly, ' it is very well for you to sit in a 
chair as a gentleman, and tell us such and 
such things, who are standing up.' I sprang 
from my chair in a moment, jumped off the 
verandah, went to his side, and invited him 
to take the chair, telling him that I could 



148 



APPENDIX. 



stand up, sit on the ground, or in a chair, as 
the case might be, only I wished to deliver 
an important message to the people. The 
man, ashamed and confounded, apologized 
for what he had said, and gave me no more 
trouble. The effect upon the minds of others 
seemed to be most admirable, as they paid 
good attention to the remainder of the ad- 
dress. 

In this place I distributed about four hun- 
dred tracts, which I trust may be blessed to 
the good of some precious souls. 

December 19-20. — Spent these two days 
in Baupetha. Soon after my arrival, two 
Brahmins came to me, with whom I had some 
conversation about the ten incarnations of 
Vishnu. The circumstances connected w r ith 
one of these incarnations I will mention. 
According to some of the Hindoo books, 
Brahma, on a certain occasion, fell into a 
profound sleep. While he thus lay uncon- 
scious, a giant came along, stole his sacred 
books, ran away, and plunged into the sea. 
The fact was by some means known to 
Vishnu, who assumed the form of a fish, 



APPENDIX. 



149 



pursued the giant, recovered the books, and 
restored them to Brahma. Of what benefit 
such an incarnation can be to a poor sinner, 
exposed to the wrath of God, no one can 
possibly imagine. The other incarnations 
have as little reference to the wants of sin- 
ners as the above. Yet when the incarnation 
of Christ, and the merciful designs of it were 
spoken of, they turned away with disgust, 
seeing no need of such an exhibition of divine 
mercy and love. 

When I went into the village, I was sur- 
rounded by a large number of those proud, 
haughty Brahmins, who were as careless 
about everything connected with the interests 
of their souls as the beasts that perish. As 
I left the ground, I thought of the language 
of Paul: 6 If after the manner of men I have 
fought with beasts of Ephesus.' How trying 
it is to flesh and blood to hear the insulting 
questions that are put by such men, to hear 
them deny the existence of God, and pour 
contempt upon the blessed gospel of Christ, 
none can well understand but those w T ho are 
in the midst of the heathen. 



150 



APPEND X. 



On one occasion several Brahmins came 
to me, and I had an opportunity of seeing 
the effect that the eternal truth of God has 
upon the minds of those corrupt men. I read 
and explained to them Romans iii, 10-18: 
1 There is none righteous, no not one/ &c. 
There was something in the countenances of 
these young men, that showed there was a 
monitor within that told them that the words 
I readjWere true in their own case. But 
there was no disposition to confess so unwel- 
come a truth. One of them asked, 6 Is not 
the soul of man and God one? These young 
men went away with their pride somewhat 
humbled by the solemn truths of God, that 
ranks them among ruined sinners, but there 
was no disposition in them to embrace the 
truth. 

December 28. — For the last few days, a 
Jew has stopped with me — a deeply interest- 
ing character. His native city is Bagdad, 
but he has been several years in India, en- 
gaged in mercantile pursuits, and is in com- 
fortable worldly circumstances. Between 
two and three years ago his mind began to be 



APPENDIX. 151 

exercised upon the subject of Christianity, 
but his wife, who was a bigoted Jewess, 
opposed him fiercely. His wife has since 
died, and in September last, he embraced 
Christianity, and made a public profession 
of it. He is well acquainted with the Old 
Testament, but his knowledge of the New is 
not yet great, but he is studying it with the 
most intense interest, comparing it with the 
Old, and explaining the truth as it is in 
Jesus, to his two Jewish attendants, as it 
breaks in upon his own mind. One of these 
also seems to have embraced the truth, and 
will probably be baptized in Madras. The 
other is very bigoted, and refuses to ac- 
knowledge Christ as the Messiah. I could 
only converse with my Jewish Christian 
brother in Hindostani, through an interpreter. 
Still my heart was much drawn out towards 
him. It was a great satisfaction, however, 
to him and myself, to let Christ speak to him 
through his own precious word, by referring 
him to chapter after chapter of the New 
Testament, which he read with the greatest 
delight. His feelings now are such as are 
13 



152 



APPENDIX. 



described by Paul in the tenth chapter of 
Romans : 4 Brethren, my heart's desire and 
prayer to God for Israel is, that they might 
be saved,' &c. He returns now to Jerusalem 
to make known to his blinded brethren the 
blessed gospel that he has received* How 
encouraging is it to the missionary in this 
distant land, to meet with converted Jews — 
to see that their hearts are overflowing with 
love to the crucified Saviour, and to see them 
ready to relinquish anything for the sake 
of spreading the glad tidings of salvation 
through him to their fellow men. What 
have we not received through the Jews ? 
The prophets and the sweet singer of Israel 
were Jews. Jesus — God manifest in the 
flesh — our Saviour was a Jew. Paul, whom 
we delight to look upon as an example of 
what a minister of the gospel should be, 
w T as a Jew ; and the other Apostles and 
Evangelists whose writings we ponder with 
the deepest interest, were Jews. And how 
great a debt of gratitude do we owe them. 
Now when there are signs of the Spirit's 
movements among them in their dispersions, 



APPENDIX. 



153 



how earnestly ought we to pray that there 
may be a speedy fulfillment of the prophecy 
contained in Zach. xii, 10-14. 

Another year with it joys and sorrows, its 
trials and anxieties, has closed with us, and 
in reviewing its events, there is much that is 
calculated to grieve, and much to encour- 
age us. 

It is painful to think of the weakness of 
our faith, the feebleness of our love, and the 
poor efforts that we have put forth in the 
best of all causes in this world. It is painful 
to look back and see how little apparent 
effect has been produced by the efforts of the 
past year, among the majority of these de- 
luded idolaters. We preach, but the majority 
look upon our message as an idle tale. We 
tell them of their sins, but their consciences 
are stupefied, and they feel not the force of 
our statements. We tell them of their 
danger, but they see it not, and rush on to 
destruction. We tell them of the Saviour, 
but they see not their need of him, and trifle 
with his overtures of mercy. 0, that the 
hardness of heart, the blindness of mind, and 



154 



APPENDIX. 



the confirmed idolatry that we are daily 
witnesses of, may not be suffered to harden 
our hearts and shut up our bowels of com- 
passion towards them. 

We have also cause for thankfulness and 
encouragement. It is a cause of thankfulness 
that we are still permitted to do the work of 
a missionary among the heathen. Though I 
have been brought near the grave, the Lord 
has graciously restored me, and my health 
is as good now I think, as it was when I 
reached India. 

Again — the Lord is opening doors of use- 
fulness all around us, and by his providence 
is inviting us to enter them. Notwithstand- 
ing the indifference that is manifested by the 
majority, we find hearers in every place 
where we go, who listen to the preaching 
of the gospel, and receive tracts and portions 
of the scriptures and read them. 

Here and there also the spirit of the Lord 
is descending upon individuals, leading them 
to consideration, repentance and the Saviour. 
We can point to individuals who are evi- 
dently bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit 



APPENDIX, 



155 



in their lives and conversation, and who are 
bearing a faithful testimony to the excellence 
of the gospel among their fellow countrymen. 

We have no flattering accounts to send 
home concerning the progress of the work in 
our mission. We can not speak of revivals 
in which scores of souls are brought into the 
kingdom of Christ. Our converts are num- 
bered by units. Only two adult persons from 
the ranks of heathenism have cast in their 
lot with the followers of Christ during the 
past year. Concerning these we hope well. 
The Lord knows their hearts. One of our 
native Christians has died during the past 
year. Of her I hope it may be said, " To 
die is gain." 

We can speak the language of encourage- 
ment, however, to every Christian in our 
church whose heart feels for the miseries of 
the heathen. We are not discouraged. Our 
desires to labor among the heathen are the 
same that they were between five and six 
years ago, when we left the shores of our 
native land. Here, if it pleases God, we 
wish to spend the energies of our body and 
13* 



156 APPENDIX. 

mind, to preach, to pray, to labor and to die. 
We have embarked our all in the cause, and 
we regret not the decision. 

We esteem it a high privilege to go to 
those places where Christ has not been 
named, and direct the attention of idolaters to 
the only name given under heaven whereby 
sinners can be saved. Especially is it a 
blessed privilege to be permitted to lead the 
lambs of the flock that have been gathered 
into the fold of Christ, to this and that green 
pasture — to open up before their minds one 
precious portion of the word of God after 
another, and see by the radiance that lights 
up their countenances, that they feel inter- 
ested in the saving truths of the gospel. 

" Finally, brethren, pray for us that the 
work of the Lord may have free course and 
be glorified, even as it is with you, and that 
we may be delivered from unreasonable and 
wicked men.*' Pray that the present year 
may be one of rich blessing to our mission, 
and that many precious souls through grace, 
and our instrumentality, may be brought to 
Christ. W. Gvm. 



